In the Mind of Madness

“Are you or are you not a fucking doctor?”

“What am I supposed to do here? In case you haven’t noticed I don’t exactly have medical equipment lying around!”

“There has to be something!”

Kenna threw her hands up in frustration, stepping back to avoid being trampled in the name of Darla’s frantic pacing. She had never seen the woman so riled, and she wasn’t feeling at ease herself. The Joker definitely had one broken rib (possibly more) and God only knew what else from the fall. How did he live through it anyway? Kenna supposed there were more pressing matters for the time being.

Darla stopped pacing again to glare at Kenna. “Do you know any doctors? Non-shrink doctors?”

“Oh, no.” replied Kenna after a pause, eyes narrowing. “We’re not kidnapping anybody else. We kidnap too many people as it is.”

As Kenna’s mouth opened to continue Darla made a violent hissing sound. “No fucking hospitals!”

“Well, he could have internal bleeding. I don’t know how I’m supposed to find out here.” Kenna crossed her arms, staring Darla down and trying not to seem as if her own heart was beating rather too quickly.

Giving a high noise of frustrated indecision, Darla stomped out of the kitchen and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Kenna exhaled in a puff, raising her hands briefly and pressing her palms to her eyes hard enough to cause bright spots behind her eyelids. The thought that her life was ridiculous passed by with an internal groan. The Joker was incapacitated and she knew exactly where he was. Would there ever be a safer time to run? Kenna frowned because she would probably never have a safe time to run. Not now.

The news continued unabashed on the television despite how wrong it was, giving reports that The Joker was spotted in the Narrows. Abruptly Kenna couldn’t stand another moment of Vicki’s voice and spun on her heel to march over and turn it off. Once it was silent she became aware of how silent Darla was in the bathroom, and then of the labored breath and mumbling coming from her bedroom. Scowling, Kenna took a few slow steps closer to the partially open door.

At first she wouldn’t let Darla put The Joker in her bed, but after a few stubborn moments she gave in. Darla was nearly in hysterics and the couch was really too small. That didn’t mean she had to be happy about it. Kenna was so irritated after finding out The Joker was alive that she almost walked away and ignored the mumbling. But she already knew there would be a nagging worry he was suffocating on his own blood. Which really should have been a good thing.

“Joker?” Kenna spoke when she was right outside her door, wincing a bit at how loud her voice was. At least she sounded as irritated as she felt, which was oddly comforting.

There was no discernable reply but The Joker was still mumbling. Kenna rolled her eyes before pushing the door open, allowing the light of the living room to create a beam onto her bed. The Joker was exactly where they left him – sprawled on his back like a starfish, chest rising and falling unevenly. She knew she shouldn’t let him sleep long in case he was concussed…but it was so easy to look at him like this.

Taking slow steps closer to the bed, Kenna crossed her arms and let her eyes wander a bit. His right hand was curled slightly as if he thought he was holding onto something, the left occasionally twitching against the sheets. The sharp line of his jaw was relaxed, almost slack, and soft snores left his nose every few exhales. Kenna pressed her knuckles against her mouth when she felt her lips start to curve into a smile. It wasn’t any kind of fondness. He just looked so human. She tried to imagine what The Joker would look like in this position but in normal clothes, free of makeup and scars. He would look like her boyfriend, passed out on her bed. Maybe after a long day at work or a night out. Or worn out after she joined him there. It was funny. Hilarious, really.

“It’s really creepy how you stare unblinking like that.”

A voice in the room startled Kenna badly enough she jumped, quickly frowning. “I was blinking.” she retorted, sounding a bit concerned in spite of herself at how weak The Joker’s voice was.

“Hmph.” The Joker shifted slightly, wincing and looking bothered by that. Then his eyes moved over to Kenna and he was grinning slowly at some private joke with himself. It made Kenna feel very warm and uncomfortable. “You look better.”

Her face heated. She wanted to know what he’d seen but she would never ask. “Can’t say the same. Even you can’t defy gravity, huh?”

“You shouldn’t watch the news. Fills your head with lies.” The Joker grunted and started to sit up.

Kenna automatically stepped forward and pressed her hand to his shoulder, keeping him lying flat. “You could have a broken back for all I know. You’re not leaving this bed.”

“I do like it when you play doctor.”

The way he purred at her brought a hard grimace to Kenna’s face. “I’m sure you’re far overdue for a prostate exam.”

“Kinky!”

“Just don’t move. I don’t want to have to sedate you.” said Kenna as she turned to leave with a face that said she clearly did want to sedate The Joker. With a blunt object.

As she neared the doorway a dark chuckle came from the bed. “Is it eating you up inside, kitten?”

Kenna stopped and hated herself for it. Nothing was stopping her from just leaving and not listening to whatever he was about to use to drill holes into her nerves. Only there was something and Kenna hated whatever it was with all her might. “Is what eating me up inside?” she spoke through her teeth, refusing to look back.

The Joker took a few moments, milking it, probably sitting up in bed if the pained noises he made were anything to go by. “Not knowing.” He laughed to himself and made his voice high and feminine. “’What were they saying on that rooftop? I’m a huge control freak and I don’t know. Rah rah rah’.”

“I don’t care what you said. Whatever happened, Batman gave you the antidote.” Kenna furrowed her brow, listening to what his response would be intently. How would he react to her knowing? He had to know she knew. But he wouldn’t expect her to mention it.

There was indeed a short pause that Kenna liked to think was shaken. It was followed by gleeful laughter that made her wince slightly again. “Oh, you’re so much more fun coherent! And you always think you’re right! It’s just…it’s too much, doll. You slay me.”

He was baiting her and she knew it. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Shh. I’m broken, remember? Need my beauty sleep.”

Kenna closed her eyes for a moment in blind rage as she listened to him lay back down. “There isn’t enough time in the world for you to—” realizing how petty she sounded, Kenna cut herself off and stalked back into the living room. She turned the TV back on to drown out the giggling in her bedroom.

Apparently nothing was changed.