Inside Your Eyes

My cheek hit the concrete, but oddly I didn't feel it. I was tired and didn't want to keep going. I heard viscious banging on metal before hands grasped my arms.

The Joker picked me up off the floor, "Give her to me!" I heard Bruce say.

"Never!" The Joker cackled.

"Stop," I groaned, "Just let me rest...please."

"Don't close your eyes Maya!" Bruce's rugged Batman voice was cracking.

"I've lost so much blood though. I can't make it to the hospital."

"Exactly! She's coming with me!" Joker intervened.

"No Joker," I inhaled deeply and touched his hand, "I can't go with you."

"Then I'll carry you!"

I shook my head, "Just lay me down." I was eased down, the concrete felt cool against my skin, "Thank you." I smiled for the first time in what seemed like ages.

"Is there anything I can do?" Bruce asked.

I shook my head, "Just stay here beside me. Both of you." They did. I was so glad that with the last bit of my strength, I clasped both of their hands, "That's all I really wanted."

My breathing became labored, "Maya!? Maya stay with me!" Bruce lightly hit my face.

"I always will be," I looked towards him and managed a smile.

I felt something hit my left arm, something wet, "Joker?" I turned my head back over. His makeup had been distorted by streams of tears down his cheeks, "Why are you crying? You never do..."

He just shook his head, "You can't leave me!"

"I'm not," I my eyes rolled towards the heavens, "I've never seen the stars in Gotham before," My breaths became shallow, "I see one tonight though. It's my lucky night." Everything became dark and I left my body.

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My mother and Lucy wrapped their arms around me, "What's going on?" I said through tears.

"You're almost home," my mother said.

"What? But I did so many bad things!"

"Come on! I want you to see Jeremy!" Lucy tugged my arm.

"What's that I see behind you Lucy?"

"It's what's happening to your body."

I saw the Joker running with my body in his hands, "Shortly after you passed Joker took your body and Batman is chasing him," my mother explained.

I couldn't stop myself from running behind him, "Joker stop!" Despite my shouting he couldn't hear me. Batman was behind us and I could feel his anger burning.

The chase stopped at one of the docks. There The Joker stood, at the edge, holding my body, "You will not leave me!"

He moved his foot toward the edge, "No!" I wrapped my arms around him coincidentally at the same time Bruce did and pulled him back. My body flew out of his arms, down into the ocean.

I felt Bruce's anger spike, "You will regret what you just did!"

The Joker was being held down, "Let me go after her!"

"No! You don't deserve it!" A wire was tied around Joker's wrists and he was personally escorted by Batman to Arkham Asylum.

There was nothing I could do. The Joker was as insane as ever, and Batman was as alone as before I met him.

"My existence...it didn't make a difference did it?" I said in despair.

"Don't feel that way," my mother and Lisa wrapped their arms around me again.

"You made a difference Maya," Lisa said, "You gave Batman and The Joker love, and now they know how to love."

"But...!?"

"You saved their souls Maya," Mother said.

Having her tell me that was overwhelming, "Me?"

"That was your job in life, and you succeeded!" Lisa chimed in.

I looked back on the earth, "Heaven's calling Maya," Mother said.

I didn't want to leave them, but the urge to go to my afterlife was strong, "I love them both dearly. Can I say goodbye to them?"

"Of course. It is what all souls do before they can rest."

I descended towards Arkham where Bruce and Joker were still at. Bruce stood outside Joker's cell, angry. Just staring in. I glided towards him and touched his face. He blinked away tears, "Don't cry Bruce. I said I'd always be here, even if you can't see me, " I kissed his lips." His hand brushed his lips, wondering what the feeling was.

I phased through the walls of Joker's cell. He looked more like a man who was already dead, "Joker..."

"I don't want to hear your voice! You're dead!"

He hears me? I sat beside him, "I'm only saying goodbye. We'll see each other again."

"I want to see you now."

I sighed, "I can't do that..." He laid back on his cot. I got up and laid my head on his chest, "You know I love you too," I smiled and kissed his lips.

He instantly sat up and looked around, "Maya?" And I was gone. It's not a soul's place to linger on Earth for long. The afterlife beackons.

Here I am now, waiting on the shores of the abyss. Their arrival is soon, and I won't miss it.