You're My Medication

I woke up the next morning to voices in the living room just down the hall. They were talking pretty loud too. I slowly got up and saw a gym bag by the door. I went over to it and opened it. Inside were some of my clothes and toiletries.

I pulled on a long sleeve, black shirt and white sophie shorts. My heart was pounding as I opened the door. Gordan was here and I could tell it was him and Bruce that were talking loudly. I stood in the hallway, out of sight, and listened to them.

“What do you mean The Joker blew things up?” Gordan asked.

“Just what I said. The Joker is going to do everything he can to get Nicole back. She told me yesterday about why they came to Gotham. The Joker isn’t just using her like he did to Harleen. She actually means something to that monster and we can use it against him. Well, you can use it against him.” I frowned widely. Did Bruce not understand anything I said yesterday? J won’t like it if they use me as bait for him.

J… it’s been almost a day since I last saw him. Did he make it out of the explosion at the station?

I walked into the living room and the boys turned to face me. I sat down on the couch Indian style and Alfred gave me a cup of coffee. I thanked him before he left the room.

“Not a good idea, Brucey,” I said then sipping on my drink. Gordan sighed and fell back onto the couch next to Bruce and across from me.

“Why not?” Bruce asked crossing his arms and leaning back.

“Oh I don’t know…maybe because that’s what got everyone in Hampton killed,” I said with sarcasm dripping from every word. Bruce grumbled something to himself before leaning forward and rubbing his temples harshly with his forefingers.

“You should just let me see him. I can make sure that he stops this craziness,” I whispered to the men. It was worth a shot, but Gordan jumped up furiously.

“No way in hell! You are the key to bringing him down and I won't let him get you back so easily.” he spat venomously.

“It’s been an entire day, Gordan. I’m surprised the city is still intact, but it won’t stay that way for long. Without me, J is a loose cannon and an insane one at that too,” I finished and took a sip of my coffee again. Shifting slightly in my seat, I felt the bumpy skin of my scars on the inside of my thighs. I tried to move my legs again to hide them, but the playboy’s eyes were already locked on them.

“Nicole, what’s on your legs?”

“Scars,” I mumbled to him. Gordan seemed to relax from his defensive position and stared at my legs along with Bruce. I wanted to change the subject, but Bruce kept pestering me about them.

“Did he give them to you?” Bruce asked with accusations clearly in his tone of voice.

“No, I did them myself,” I replied quickly and drank the rest of my coffee. I set the empty mug on the table, but Alfred was there in a split second, picking it up and disappearing from the room. The other two men in the room openly gawked at my answer.

“Are those letters? Did you write something?” Bruce asked trying to get a closer look at my scarred flesh.

“I carved JN into my right thigh.”

“What? Why? When?!”

“Do you two ever stop asking questions?! God, it’s getting fucking annoying!” I ranted and moved my legs apart so they could see the badly written JN. I leaned back into the couch and tried to calm down while they scrutinized my scars.

“What does it mean?” Gordan asked looking like he wanted to reach out and touch them but didn’t because of personal space issues.

“JN stands for ‘The Joker’s’ initials; his real name that is, not the persona. I did this to myself after he got his scars… He was depressed and I just wanted to thank him from the bottom of my heart. He got his scars from helping me so I gave myself scars as a thank you present. At first he was confused, but he smiled again and I knew he was going to be better… J is my most important person and it’s the same the other way around too,” I explained. Bruce stared into my eyes trying to see if I was telling the truth, but Gordan was obviously high or something.

“JN… Joe Nickles, Josh Norman…There’s so many possibilities!!” he exclaimed. I smiled because he may be able to guess J’s first name, but not his last. It’s too unique for it to be common.

“How did he get his scars?” Bruce asked staring me straight in the eyes. Gordan quieted his list of names and paid attention to us. I just shook my head and frowned.

“That’s not my story to tell and the only way you’ll find out is if you ask J. But he won’t tell you the real story so I guess that you’ll just never know,” I said shrugging my shoulders and leaning into the soft couch. I crossed my legs further to hide the scars from the men.

CKTSSHHHH

“Commissioner, code red 28. The Joker just blew up a bank and high school. We need you here at the station.” Gordan jumped up and replied in his walkie saying he would be there shortly.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. He was going in the order as he did in Hampton. A bank, then school, a factory, then an apartment building…. I opened my eyes and let them rest on Gordan’s disheveled figure. It looked like he hadn’t gotten any sleep and forgot to trim his facial hair this morning.

“History always finds a way to repeat itself,” I whispered, but both of the men heard me. I think I said something like that last night to Bruce, but I shook that thought out of my head to focus on the now.

“J has only just begun his long list of ‘games’,” I said with a small smile. Gordan’s face turned pale and turned to a look of horror.

“I told you guys! If only you had let me see him, none of this would be happening. I suggest that you make sure all the nuclear factories are secure. J…well…he likes to watch things go boom,” I couldn’t help but smile at a memory I had of J explaining why he liked explosives.

“Check all factories!” Gordan practically screamed into the walkie talkie while he fumbled with the buttons. The entire room shook with the force of another explosion.

“Too late,” I smirked. The factory must have been near Bruce’s penthouse. I saw Alfred rush into the room and mumble something into Bruce’s ear. Bruce quickly excused himself before running out of the room. I looked after him with slight curiosity, but then realized that it was just Gordan and I, the small communication device still clutched in his trembling hand.

“You know what’s going to be next, don’t you?” he asked gravely. I simply nodded.

“Get up. You’re coming with me to the station,” he demanded, grabbing my arm and pulling me outside and into his police cruiser. I was still in my shorts and long sleeve shirt, not to mention I didn’t have a chance to grab any shoes. People would see my scars…screw it! I don’t care anymore if people see them!

“What’s his next target?” Gordan asked as he drove and I glared out the window.

“You mean targets. He’s going to blow up several apartment buildings.” Gordan was yelling into the small car radio while he sped to the station. Didn’t J blow it up yesterday?

“J blew it up, the police station I mean.” Gordan nodded and tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he swerved around a corner with his police sirens blaring.

“He did and got away, but you’re coming with me to another station. One that’s more secretive and out of the public’s eye. It’s not the most attractive thing to look at, but I have my best men there handling The Joker’s schemes.” And they’re doing a great job with that, aren’t they? I thought sarcastically. Why couldn’t they just let us be? It can end here, without any more deaths…why not?