Stitched Together

Chapter Thirteen
Date Night

“Good evening ladies and gentleman!” The Joker shouted as he banged open the doors. The eleven men quickly went around the room to make sure the party guests stayed in line. “We are once again your entertainment for the evening.”

“Aw, they don't look to happy to see us,” Doll commented as she walked around the room. The guests quickly moved away from her like she was a contagious disease. “You know you throw these big parties and you what just except us to stay away?” She asked them. She looked around at their faces, no one seemed to have the guts to answer.

“What do you want?” asked a middle aged man in front. The Joker quickly moved over to him, switchblade ready by his side. The Joker studied him for a moment, his face scrunched up as he did so. The man was visibly sweating now.

“What do I want?” The Joker asked him to make sure he heard him right. The man nodded in fear. “Is that everyone's favorite question?” The Joker asked to the entire room, laughing as he said it.

“They really don't seem to get it.” Doll commented from behind The Joker. She was looking at the man from over The Joker's shoulder. “It seems our point just never really sinks into these people.” She looked the frightened man right in his brown eyes and spoke to him. “We don't want anything but chaos because chaos is the only way to live life.” She told him with a nod of her head.

She stepped back away from The Joker and his hostage and once again surveyed the crowd.

“Would you like to know how I got these scars?” Doll heard The Joker say. She smiled... someone was going to die soon. The room was silent. The only noise came from when The Joker spoke and the frightened crowds breathing.

“I use to have this girlfriend and boy was she just beautiful. But see the only problem was her father didn't like me very much. He said I wasn't good enough for her.” The Joker said to the man. His switchblade was digging into the corner of the man’s mouth. “So we got this idea to run away together but her father found out. He wasn't happy about that. Not. One. Bit. So when I came and got her that night he was waiting for me. He came at me with a knife and told me he didn't want some joker with his daughter. So he took the blade and did this to me,” The Joker smiled overly large making his scars more prominent. “After wards she didn't want to even look at me, she took daddy's side now. She didn't want me now that I was scarred up. But that was okay because I was always happy... I now always see the funny side.” He ended his tell with a large laugh before he cut the man’s throat. He dropped to the ground with a thump.

“Quite an interesting story.” Doll muttered to him. She didn't believe a word of it. She wondered briefly if he even remembers how he got his scars.

“Only the best for you,” He whispered in her ear. He looked down at her. His brown eyes gazed directly into her blue ones.

“I'm starting to get bored. So either we need to kill more people or we need a Batman. I hope he doesn't disappoint us.” Doll told him.

She gazed around the room again. She spotted her pray and new entertainment in the form of a young girl, most likely around her own age, with long brown hair and green eyes. She was tall and thin and looked like a perfect little lady that was there to flirt with the rich men of Gotham to set her future.

“Well, it looks like I just found myself a new little toy,” Doll told him as she circled around the girl. The crowd moved away from them. Doll smiled- this proved her and Joker's point. Everyone was just watching out for themselves. The girl was on her own. When Doll made it back around to face the girl she noticed the tears streaming down her green eyes. Doll wiped one away from the girl’s cheek. The girl shuddered at Doll's touch. The girl finally looked at her with frightened eyes.

“What do you want?” She asked her voice shaking at every word.

Doll gave her a confused look before answering. “Didn't I already answer this? Don't you people listen?” She said loudly to the whole room. “We say something and it just goes in one ear and right out of the other. You people can be so repetitive.”

Her attention turned back to the girl when she heard her whimper. Doll leaned in closely to her.

“What’s your name?” Doll asked her slowly into her ear. The girl shook from Doll standing so closely.

“S-Sara.” The girl answered quietly.

“Nice to meet you S-Sara.” Doll mocked her. Tears fell from Sara's eyes like a fountain. “Aw, now don't cry. We were just starting to have fun.” Doll took her trusty blade from her pocket and held it against Sara's cheek. She traced the tear streaks with the tip of the blade. She giggled when she made a small cut and a tiny drop of blood ran down Sara's face. It looked like a bloody tear.

“Please just let me go.” Sara whispered quietly.

“Don't tell me you don't like me? I thought we were really connecting.” Doll giggled to her as she made another cut on her cheek. It was deeper and more blood ran down the girl's face mixing with her tears.

Doll smiled when she heard the loud crash of breaking glass. Batman was here.

“Saved by The Batman!” Doll announced to Sara.

“Nice of you to join the party Batman!” The Joker told him before his and Doll's men jumped on him.

It didn't take long for Batman to work through their men but by then Doll and The Joker was on him. Doll quickly realized that The Joker wasn't the best fighter, as far as skill wise. He was more of a fight dirty kind. The Joker was on Batman but it didn't last long. Batman kicked The Joker off of him but Doll took his place. They struggled but Doll quickly had her switchblade digging into his shoulder blade. It took a lot of work to make it go through his armor but she succeeded at the close range.

“I do love our play dates Batman... don't you?” She asked him with a giggle as she pushed on the blade more.

“Now, now Doll I thought this was our date?” The Joker asked from behind her. She heard his footsteps as he quickly made his way over to them. Doll rolled her eyes.

“Men, there all the same. Their so jealous.” She told Batman. He took her talking as his time to strike. He kicked her in the stomach and she went flying backwards. She landed on her back a few feet away. Batman quickly withdrew the blade from his shoulder and stood up somewhat unsteady on his feet.

“Now, Batman you wouldn't want someone to die on your watch now would you?” The Joker asked as he pointed his gun at Sara, who had dried blood on her face. She looked between Batman and Joker terrified.

“Leave her out of this Joker.” Batman ordered him. The Joker just laughed as he held Sara in front of him with the gun pressed against her forehead.

“Hmm, I don't think so.” Joker told him with a large smile.

“I don't think so; if anyone is going to shoot her it's going to be me.” Doll told him as she made it back to her feet. She stalked over to The Joker and Sara, her gun pointed at him. His face had an expression of surprise, curiosity, and amusement.

“Too bad, I had the gun to her first.” The Joker teased as he pressed the gun harder into the girls head to further his point. Doll respond by shooting once only a foot away from his feet. The party goers all jumped at the sound and Sara whimpered and shook in The Joker's grip.

“I could just kill you then I could have her and The Batman all to myself.” She told him with a shrug of her shoulders as she aimed the gun at his head.

“This is our first date and we’re already fighting. Not exactly how I wanted this to go.” He told her as he bit the side of his mouth where his scars were.

“Well, you need to learn that I'm very,” she paused and shot her gun. Except it was no longer aimed at The Joker, no the bullet landed inside Sara's head, right between her eyes. The Joker immediately dropped her looking a little put out by it. “Unpredictable.” She finished with a large smirk.

The gun was knocked out of her hands when Batman tackled her to the ground. His strength was too much for her and he kept her there.

“You’re not getting away tonight.” Batman told her in his gruff voice. Doll giggled from underneath him.

“You sound so sure of that.” Doll commented as she stared at him with a smile.

“Batman I know you and I have history but you’re getting in the way of my date.” The Joker said annoyed before kicked him off of Doll. The henchman had finally got back on their feet and went again at Batman. They really were loyal dogs. They fought until they were called off by their master. To bad for them this was the perfect opportunity for The Joker and Doll to make their exit. The men were on their own after this.

Doll giggled as she slammed the door of her home shut behind her. The Joker joined her as she walked to the kitchen. She went to the fridge and pulled out a left over pizza box. After opening the lid to check its contents she shrugged and closed the fridge. She laid the box on the table with the lid open. She gestured towards it.

“Dinner is served.” She told him before she went rummaging in the cabinets for something to drink. With a smile she pulled out a two liter of Pepsi. Doll's kitchen generally stayed stock because of the few men that lived there along with her.

“I see you have a thing for pizza.” The Joker commented as he stared at the box.

“What did you except? For me to cook or something for you?” Doll asked him before taking a piece of the cold pizza. She picked off the pepperonis and ate them before taking a bite.

“Fair enough.” He said with a shrug of his shoulder. He took a slice for himself.

Doll sat herself on the edge of the table and let her feet dangle from the edge. The Joker copied her stance except his feet actually reached the floor; the pizza box was in between them.

“Nice shot.” The Joker commented after a few minutes of silence.

“What?” Doll asked confused. She looked up at him waiting for an answer. His face paint had smeared and now was messy and wore off in some places.

“The girl, nice shot.” He explained finally look back at her.

“I'm still debating if I should have just shot you instead.” Doll told him but it was in a more of a teasing tone.

“Now that would be the meaning of a bad date.” Joker said with a loud laugh that Doll joined in on.

“Why did you really invite me?” She asked after they both calmed down from laughing.

“Does there have to be a reason?” He questioned back. The stared each other down. Doll shrugged before saying anything.

“Well, I suppose not but you said it was a date. Why?” Doll asked again. The Joker sighed dramatically and waved one of his gloved hands in the air around him.

“I asked you because I thought you were interesting. Let me tell you that you didn't disappoint. You shot a girl right in the head and took on Batman. That's very impressive especially for a little girl.” He explained.

“I'm. Not. A. Little. Girl.” Doll told him with her eyes narrowed dangerously towards him, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. The Joker raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything. “And I didn't do it to impress you.”

“I didn't say you did.” He said dismissively. “How do you think our men fared?” He asked.

“We probably need to look into getting new ones.” She said grabbing another slice of pizza and opening the two liter of Pepsi. She stared at the bottle before shrugging and taking a drink. She silently offered it to The Joker who took it.

After Doll finished her second slice of pizza she fell back onto the table, her blonde hair hanging down from the side and her legs dangling over the end of the table. She could feel The Joker's gaze on her. She blinked in surprise when his face suddenly loomed over her.

“You look pretty comfy.” He commented still leaning over her.

She looked up at his painted face with a lazy expression on her face. She wondered how many people was this comfortable around him? She assumed it was the same number as it was for her- just one. The Joker wasn't afraid of her. They understood each other. They had the same views of the world and took the same kind of action towards it.

“I was until your face got in the way.” She teased him. She watched as he smiled down at her, the scars stretching up his face as he did so.

“You’re a hard date to impress. You insult me and threaten to shot me. I was just trying to show you a good time.” The Joker said. His voice was back to being nasally and high pitched. Doll liked the sound.

“Shooting you would be a good time.” Doll told him with a smile of her own. “But you’re not so bad to keep around. At least I know there is someone else out there that sees the world the way I do.”

“Oh good, you do like me.” He said pretending to be relieved.

Doll raised herself up from the table with her arms holding her up from behind her. The Joker face was only inches away. Doll took her time studying his face. His eyes were intense and she could almost see the wheels turning in his head by looking at them. His face paint was smeared and bits of his skin were showing on his cheeks and forehead. She took in his scars next. They were long and slightly uneven but she knew how ever he got them it must have been painful. She knew hers was at first.

The Joker took his time in studying her as well. She was tiny but he knew she was deadly. He liked that about her. She looked so innocent almost like a victim but her looks were deceiving. He had seen her kill first handed- she didn't hesitate and she had no remorse. The stories that he had heard about her didn't do her justice. The scars that covered her face were interesting. He could tell they weren't made by a knife, he could see the scaring of what use to be tinny holes around her mouth. The looked like stitching scars. He also noticed her eyes. They were large and a shocking blue. He could tell her gaze unnerved people.

Over all Doll fascinated him, he couldn't quite seem to get enough of her. She was full of surprises. She was like him, just a dog chasing cars. She just did things because she wanted to. She wanted to show the people of Gotham that they didn't have as much control of their little lives as they think they do.

Neither of them knew who leaned in first but their lips were now only centimeters apart. Doll was the one that closed the distance. Their lips moved against each other as they fought for dominance. One of Doll's hands ran through The Joker's greasy green curls tugging on them as she did so. Every time The Joker's hands moved across her skin she could feel the leather of his gloves.

Doll shifted on the table and forced him back on his back. She leaned over his body with a curious look upon her face. Her hair fell down around their faces like a cloak.

The Joker reached up his hand to trace the scar below her right eye. The leather felt rough on her skin causing her to squint her eye in irritation. He pulled his hand away from her face and brought it to his mouth. He bit down on one of the fingers and slid the glove off of his hand. A moment later the glove less hand was once again tracing her scars.

His hands were warm and rough upon her skin but Doll liked them. No one but him had ever touched her like this. She moved one of her hands out of his hair and it danced slowly over his face. His skin was showing more now and Doll could feel some of his paint on her own face. She smiled when her fingertips reached his scars. She traced them slowly with her pointer finger. His own hand had stopped its movement and he watched her with a look Doll couldn't comprehend.

“Fascinating.” Doll muttered as her blue eyes met his brown ones.

The moment was ruined when they heard the bang of the front door closing. Doll's eyes narrowed as she leaned up and pulled her gun from her coat. A second later Tommy walked into the kitchen bruised and bloody but very much alive.

“Hey... Boss.” Tommy trailed of after he saw The Joker was there as well. He looked at them both before his gaze turned to the floor.

“I see you're... alive.” Doll commented as her stare bore a hole through him. She was still sitting on top of The Joker's waist as he leaned up a little to see what was happening.

“Um, yeah I am. I think I was the only one. The others all got arrested.” Tommy told her. His gaze briefly shifted over to The Joker's, who was also starring at him. “I don't think any of your men made it either.” He told him.

“Well, Doll I guess you were right. I will need new employees.” The Joker told her.

“Yeah,” Doll said still gazing at Tommy. He seemed to receive the silent message that he needed to get out of there before he lost his life. He quickly left them alone again. They heard him make his way upstairs where his room was.

“Well, as… lovely as you are beautiful I should be going. I have to find some new clowns.” He told her.

Doll slid of off him and leaned against the refrigerator as he pulled himself back together. He slicked back his hair with one hand and then straightened out his tie before sliding off the table as well. He walked towards her and loomed over her figure. He towered over her small frame.

“I'll being seeing you around.” Joker told her.

“Yeah, I'm sure you will.” She said biting her lip for a moment. He leaned over her, his mouth right beside her left ear. She could feel his warm breath.

“We should do this again. You're really fun.” He told her in her ear before pulling back only to start laughing. Doll leaned her head back on the refrigerator and watched him with a smile.

“Good to know- now get out of my house.” She ordered him as she pushed him slightly away from her. He calmed down from his laughter.

“Like I said I'll being seeing you around.” He told her and with that he was gone. She heard him leave and slam the door behind him.

Doll stood where she was for another moment before making her way to her room. Her head was swimming with tonight’s events. She wasn't quite sure what to make of The Joker situation. He made her feel calm but tense at the same time. He was unpredictable just like her. She wondered what he was playing by taking her on a so called date or if he was even playing at all. She wasn't quite sure of the situation she just knew that she was glad she let him out of Arkham. He was proving to be very fun.