Holding On

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick,
Jack jump over the candle-stick fire-pit

He turns around slowly and just stared at me with tired eyes.

My heart dropped. Everything had crashed down on me all at once. I’ve been looking at Jack in cheap makeup and a purple suit, running around terrorizing Gotham for the past few weeks I’ve witnessed. It made sense now since he came around 8 years ago. I couldn’t…breathe… I felt the knife slide out of my hands, and the next thing I knew; I walked right up to him and slapped him across the face. Making a loud and painful; SNAP! The hard blow made his head turn from the sudden force and squinted his eyes shut and grunted.

“Ow.”

“Are you kidding me!?” I screeched she pushed him.

He didn’t answer; he was too busy holding his cheek. I did hit him pretty hard, because my hand was throbbing. But I didn't care.

“You left so you can become this!??!” I started slapping him and pounding my fist at him and he just let me, “You…Son of a bitch!!! You almost fucking killed me!!!“ he took a hold of my wrists and looked at me.

“Anna…Stop.”

“Let go of me!” I pushed him away. “Don't touch me.”

This was too over my head and it was too much to digest. I pushed him off then left the room and ran down the stairs. My blood pressure rising, I could see red. I felt sick. I can’t handle this. It was too much for me. I felt like someone grabbed me by the throat and started shaking me. I couldn’t breathe but I ran. I ran out the back door and ran across the field and ran behind the tree. The sun was just disappearing into the earths ground. I focused on calming myself down. I sat down with my back against the tree. It wasn’t easy having a panic attack.

'Why did I come back?'

…

Half an hour later, I had calmed myself down and headed back inside. I had a feeling he hadn’t left yet…And I was right.

I looked up the stairs to see him standing at the top—staring down at me. He had rolled up his sleeves, showing off his strong forearms…But he still had that damn makeup on, though I can clearly see now who he was. How could I not notice it before??

We didn’t exchange any words for a minute or two. But I wanted to see him without his makeup. I wanted to see how much he changed…

“I thought you left.” He says,

“I was going to…”

“Then why didn’t you?”

I was silent for a moment, wiping some dust off the old furniture with my finger. “Are you ever going to take your makeup off?”

“Don’t change the subject,”

“What? I asked you a simple question.”

“So did I,” he argued.

“So answer mine and I’ll answer yours,”

“Why don’t you first?”

“Because,”

“Because doesn’t answer a thing.”

'Same old arguments. Fuck.'

“Oh, bite me!” He chuckles, showing his yellow teeth. “Never mind—I’ll take that back.”

His smile disappears immediately and he glared at me. He stuck his fingers in his mouth and pulled something out, “These are fake, by the way.” He waves his fake pop in teeth, (not like dentures) and puts them in a handkerchief he had in his pants pocket then stuck it in there and smiled with his real pearly whites.

“Careful not to smear your lipstick on them.” I gave a wink and a smiled sarcastically, as he rolled his eyes.

I went towards the kitchen and heard him come down the stairs to follow me. Ignoring him, I looked around the kitchen.

“So why didn’t you leave? Call the police and tell them who the Joker really is? Hm?”

I spun around and faced him, “Why didn’t you kill me right there and then? Why didn’t you kill me the past few weeks? Hmmmm?” Cocking my head to the side mocking him. Then sighed, ignoring him as I walked outside the kitchens back door and sat on the porch.

I felt him watching me. I was too angry to think he could be a psycho and could kill me right there and then. I could feel he was going to be sticking around for awhile.

But I was here first. And I am not leaving!

…

Bruce planned to call Commissioner Gordon about Melinda once he had gotten to the manor, but decided against it. It was safer if no one knew where should was. He called Ally to hear her sound more like herself now that she knew Melinda was alright. He recalled the strange behavior going on with the three villains. Riddler had added Victor Zsasz to his 'games', Harley was spotted here and there with Jokers men wearing clown masks. They had just stolen a circus truck and had blocked off a area in the Narrows. Joker on the other hand was last spotted with his men had robbed a gun store and another bank. Bruce decided to patrol the city tonight and try to catch at least one of their goons to get some answers.

...

I sat on the couch, my arms and legs crossed as I stared at the old blank satellite TV. I didn't want to look at him at the moment. Jack fidgeted on the stairs, tapping his fingers together, running them through his greased hair, and tapping his feet on the ground. Then he started to whistle. At first it was normal whistling, but once he looked over at me; he started to grin. He started whistling the tune I despise so much. And he knows it! Jeopardy song. He knows I will crack. Ether make me smile or yell at him. He would get a reaction ether way. But I'm not gonna do it. The whistling became louder and louder. I finally threw a dusty pillow at him and hits him right in the face. He made an 'oaf'. I grinned but quickly wiped it off.

“Saw that.” he smirked.

“Would you leave me alone?! Don't you have 'Joker' things to do?”

“Mmmmm, no not really. I'll let Riddler take care of it.” I heard him stand and walk towards me. He came to my view and crouched down beside me. “Will you talk to me?”

“Will you take your make up off?”

“No.”

“Then no. Go away.” I turned my head.

He groaned, pushing his hair back, “Come on Anna, you gotta talk to me sometime.”

“No I don't~” I sang.

“Quit being so childish!”

“I'm not childish! You're the one dressed up for Halloween!”

“I'm not taking the make up off...I already told you that.” he hisses through his teeth.

“Why? I know who you are and there's nobody around here that's gonna see!” He stared at me biting the inside of his cheek and pressed his lips together. “Why are you hiding from me?”

“I'm not hiding...I'm only hiding the scars.”

“Then why'd you run?”

He swallows a rock and stays silent and avoided eye contact before he stood up and went to retrieve his purple coat.

“Yeah. There you go again; running. You can't even look me in the eye!” I grabbed the closes object and chucked it at him hitting him in the head. It ended up being a dusty candle. He stop and turned, giving me a death glare. “Oh, what cha gonna do? Be-”

“Beat you?...” He scoffed, “Already have.” he went up stairs and came back with his coat on then headed towards the front door.

I followed him and shoved him from behind. “That's right you have! When you promised you would never hurt me! You hurt me in so many ways and you didn't give a damn!!”

“I did! Give. A damn...” he snapped back at me while I stood there surprised. “I didn't know who you were...But I had a feeling...I brought you to the hide out and after that...I figured out why you looked so familiar...I regret what I did. But haven't you figured it out? I didn't do anything besides slap you, but fix you up afterward... Did you ever think of anything after I let you go?”

He stared right in my eyes. He was so close, that I switched from each eyes so I wouldn't go cross-eyed. The black around his socket made his iris a dark brown, almost black. But he was right. Sort of. I didn't even know who the Joker was, but I should have known better. The scars on his face would have given it away, but I could only picture my Jack. The one that held his own unique smile. This one was just all fake.

I shook my head and went back inside. I'm tired, and he was leaving. I hoped. I went up stairs and collapsed on the bed. Bad idea. Dust flew everywhere and made me sneeze about 15 times. Ugh. I didn't bring any allergy medicine when I came here, nor did I get any while I was at Bruce's. I guess I wouldn't think of small things after I've been kidnapped by Gotham's terrorist clown prince. I just want this all to end.

But I had a feeling Jack would be back.

And a small part of me was happy about it...

…

“Bruce, I've found an activity for you to check out. Interested?” Says the voice in Bruce's ear as he looked upon the city.

“Go ahead, Alfred.”

“Harley Quinn was spotted downtown on 35th street with a group of Joker's men. Not sure what their doing, maybe you'd like to find out?”

“On my way there right now.”

Bruce/Batman jumped down then pulled his cape and glided over Gotham, diving down and flew up before grappling at a building and shot up. He rolled on the roof and ran across then repeated till he got to his destination. From below, Joker's men surrounded a Church wearing their usual clown masks. Today was Wednesday, so their had to be hostages inside with Harley.

Instead of making a scene in the front of it, Batman decided to enter through the back. There was only one goon, taking a piss and having trouble with it.

“Damn kidney stone. ERRRGGG!! Get the fuck OUT!!” he shook his woody and smacked his head against the wall. “GGGGAAAA!!! That bitch better hurry the fuck up!” he muttered.

Normally, Batman would have knocked this guy out, but it was easy enough for him to pass him without him noticing. This guy already had enough problems as it is then to wake up with a nasty headache in jail. He got inside and hears someone sobbing echoing through the whole place. Batman cracked the door where the priest usually came from and found a familiar messy pig-tailed girl sobbing over the bench in front of her. No goons. She didn't notice him when he came out from the shadows and came up to her. He grabbed her by the arm and lifted her. Her jester hat fell from her lap and her messy blonde hair fell in her face. Her 'makeup' was smudge and showed patches of skin. She was startled, then shocked, and then annoyed.

“What the hell do you want, B-Man?!” she spats, “Can't 'cha see I'm busy?!”

“What are you doing?” Bruce put his 'Batman' voice on, letting go of her arm when she shoved him.

“Praying.” she says crossing her arms and pouted. “What's it look like I'm doing?”

“Crying.”

“So I get very emotional when I pray! Big deal! It's none of your business anyway!” she sniffles, turning from him.

“You don't look like the kind of girl that would go to church.”

“Hey! Just because I'm a crook doesn't mean I'm anti-christian!!” she shoves her finger at his face. “Now I'm gonna ask again. What the hell do ya want?!”

“Where's the Joker?”

She struggles a bit, sucking in her bottom lip before taking a deep breath. “I don't know? Away...” she takes her hat from the ground and dusts it off. “But even if I did know where Mistah J was, I'm not gonna tell you~!”

“Doesn't hurt to try.”

“Well here's a tip for you to stop trying; ya ain't gettin' nottin' outta me!” she zips her lips and 'throws away the key', crossing her arms and turned away from him.

Batman had enough of her childish act and grab her arms, lifting her in the air. She tried kicking him but the suit was protecting him from her blows. “Tell me what Joker's planning!” he demanded.

“Puddin' is planning a special day for Gotham, I can tell you that. But, there's more activities going on. And neither me or Mistah J has got nottin' to do with it!”

“Then who?”

Bruce heard a clank hit the floor and saw green smoke forming all around him. He dropped Harley and began to cough hysterically as Harley quickly places a gas mask over her face that she had kept in her hat and ran for the front door. “Catch ya later B-Man!! Muah!” she blows him a kiss and rushes out the door. Batman covered his mouth and nose to block the gas, coughing while grabbing his grapple. But the gas had already taken effect and Batman fell to the ground unconscious.