Stitched Together

Chapter Fourteen
The Feelings Mutual

Doll hadn't heard from The Joker in the last couple of weeks but she didn't worry. She knew he had been busy. She didn't get to see him personally but he would always find a way to let her know when he was planning something... beautiful. Doll herself was busy as well. She was getting ready for a new bank job. She heard about a new mob leader in Gotham and she couldn't wait to get under his skin and into his money.

She zipped up her black duffel bag before slinging it over her shoulder. With her gun and favorite switchblades tucked in the pockets of her long, black coat she was ready. Heading out of her room she saw her four new men along with Tommy getting ready for the bank job.

“Everyone ready?” She said loudly to get everyone’s attention. All five men stopped what they were doing to look up at her as she stood on the last step of the stairs. She saw three of the men shift their weight uncomfortably as she gazed at them. It made her crack a smile. She didn't even have to try to make her men fear her.

Tommy was the only one who spoke up. “Yeah, boss we're ready.”

“Good, let's go make a withdraw curtsey of the mob.” Doll told them as she hopped down from the last step. She was always giddy before a job even if it was as simple as a bank robbery.

They parked the van a few blocks away from Gotham National and her men waited patiently as Doll typed rapidly on her laptop. She rolled her eyes at how easy she hacked into the bank's security system. In only a few minutes all of their alarms had been turned off. This was one job she didn't want Gordon or Batman to interrupt.

She stuffed her small laptop back into her bag before she shoved into the back of the van. Making sure her men were set she climbed out of the van. Her men walked towards the bank acting as innocently as they could while Doll crept her way over. She looked both ways before quickly running across the road to reach her men who were putting on their masks. With a smile she opened the banks main entrance door.

“We're here to make a withdraw!' Doll spoke loudly to the crowd.

She heard screams and gasps as everyone turned towards her. She smiled at them before she nodded to her men. Three of her men went around the crowd to make sure no one did anything stupid. The other two went to work on opening the vault. She looked over the crowd. No one was standing out to her. Doll frowned as she walked around the room with a slight skip in her step and her switchblade by her side. She heard whimpers from women as she walked past them. No one dared to move.

“Well, aren't you all just a lively bunch.” Doll told them sarcastically as she turned away from a group of citizens that had huddled together “BOO!” She yelled as she suddenly turned back around to face them. The entire group jumped and she would almost bet that at least two of the seven people probably wet themselves.

Doll laughed until she couldn't breathe at their expressions. These people were just so simple and easy. They didn't understand that their lives are worthless. That they’re not living their lives to the full potential. She bit the inside of her cheek when she thought of The Joker. He was the only one who understood.

Her gaze finally settled on a young, little girl. The girl was huddled on the floor near the front door in a small waiting room like area. Doll hadn't even noticed her when she first came in. Doll casually walked up to the little girl and stared down at her. The girl looked up at her with tears running down her cheeks and a terrified expression upon her face. Doll gave her a small smile as she bent down to the little girl’s level on the floor.

“Hi,” Doll said slowly to the girl whose eyes widened even more. Her expression made Doll giggle- to her it was too comical. Doll slowly reached her hand towards her and wiped away a few of the tears that had fallen down the little girls cheeks. The girl cringed at Doll's touch. “Shh, shh, shh it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. See,” she told the little girl as she slipped her knife back into one of her coat pockets. She wiggled her empty hands in front of the girl's face to show her she had no weapons.

Doll took her time studying the little girl in front of her. She was huddled up with her knees pulled up to her chin with her arms wrapped around her legs. She had shoulder length, brown hair and large watery brown eyes. Her cheeks were red and wet from tears. She was tiny and thin. Doll guessed she could be no older than eight or nine years old. She smiled when she noticed the girl was studying her as well.

“What's your name?” Doll asked her. She could feel the other people in the bank eyes watching the two of them. The little girl was sitting just out of the hearing range of them. “Don't be shy.” Doll said encouragingly.

“It's,” the little girl took a small breath as she quickly looked at Doll and then her gaze went back to her knees. “It's Annie.” She said then looked back up to Doll.

“Hi Annie, do you know who I am?” She asked in the same slow voice as before. Annie nodded her head. “Do you wanna know why I chose you to talk to?” Annie nodded her head again as she bit down on her lip. “It's because you’re the only little girl in this entire bank and you looked so lonely. I thought you could use a doll to play with.” She told her ending her explanation with a small giggle.

“You're not a real doll.” Annie told her in a small voice.

“True, I'm better.” Doll agreed with her. “Hey, look at me.” She told Annie as she grasped her chin so she could tilt her head up. “I'm not going to hurt you.” She promised her.

“You- you're not?” Annie asked. Her brown eyes stared into Doll's blue ones.

“Nope, wanna know why?” Doll asked but she didn't give her a chance to answer before she continued. “I don't kill children.” Doll told her then once she thought about it she corrected her statement. “Well, I don't kill children directly. I'm sure some have died in my explosions but I don't go around killing them personally.” She said with a wave of her hand. “I like children because you guys are so innocent and uncorrupted. The big, bad grown-ups have yet to fill your little heads with lies.”

Doll paused a moment to catch Annie’s expression. She wasn't crying anymore but she was still looking at Doll with an uneasy expression on her tiny face. She noticed that Annie had loosened up since she began talking. Her knees were still drawn up to her chest but her arms were now lying at her sides. Doll noticed something dark on Annie's face when she shifted on the floor. Taking Annie's chin in her hand once again she tilted her chin up and brushed back her hair from the left part of her face. Doll's curious eyes went back to Annie's. There was a fading but still apparent bruise down the left side of the little girl’s face- just noticeable if you looked closely enough.

“That's a pretty big bruise you got there kid.” Doll commented. Annie quickly pulled herself out of Doll's grip and placed her hair back over it. “How did you get it?” Annie didn't answer. Doll's eyes narrowed as she studied Annie again. “Or better yet who gave it to you?”

Annie shook her head back and forth refusing to answer any of Doll's questions. Doll narrowed her eyes as she looked at her curiously. She leaned closer to Annie and spoke in her ear. “Did your daddy give you that bruise?” She asked then pulled her face back to look at Annie. She had one of her eyebrows raised as she waited for an answer. It took a moment but Annie finally gave a tiny nod.

“You wanna know why I don't like the other grown-ups?” Doll asked her. Annie looked down at her knees not answering. Doll continued anyway. “It's because there all out for themselves. They want everyone to think they’re so good but away from prying eyes their completely different. Then they blame their mistakes on others. I bet your daddy says that you deserve what he gives. That it's all your fault, am I right?” Doll asked her.

Annie looked at her with her large brown eyes in amazement. The little girl slightly reminded Doll of Allison. She wondered if Annie would get a voice in her head. Doll hoped for Annie's sake she did. Doll might not care about much of anything; especially people but she didn't like children who got abused. It hit to close to home. No child deserves to grow up like Allison did even if it makes them better in the end.

“Listen to me, okay,” Doll told her with a nod of her head. She could tell she had Annie's full attention. She was still staring at her with large eyes. “You might be small now, but you’re going to grow up to be smart and tough. Daddy won't always have to be in charge. You can show him that you’re better than him.” She told her with a smile.

“Look at me; do I look like I could take on The Batman in a fair fight?” Doll asked her waving a hand down her thin frame to prove her point. Annie shook her head. “That's why I learned that you don't have to play fair. You don't have to listen to these grown-ups silly rules. You can do whatever you want; you just have to learn not to care about the consequences that come along with it. See I may be tiny but all these people in this room know that I wouldn't hesitate to blow their stupid brains out. That's why I have five grown men that are liked trained dogs. They know that I don't mind killing them. Not. One. Bit.”

Doll clenched her fists when she heard someone behind her clear their throat. Looking over her shoulder she saw one of her men- she assumed it was Tommy.

“Uh, the money's all ready to go. We're just waiting on you, boss.” He said and she could see his eyes through his mask go from Annie back to her a couple of times.

“Round the others up. I'm about done.” Doll told him then waved him away before turning back to Annie. She nodded her head at the back of Tommy. “See, trained dogs. Well, Annie it was wonderful to meet you. Remember what I said. You won't always have to listen to him. Now you stay here and be a very good girl.” Doll told her as she stood back up straight. She pulled her trusty switchblade from her pocket and held it in her right hand. With the same hand she patted Annie on the top of her head and tucked her hair behind her right ear. A voice stopped her and made her smile.

“Stop touching my daughter.” It was a man in a black suit that was huddled in a group of people near the teller counter. Doll wasted no time as she walked over to him. She didn't give him a chance to say anything else before she pulled him up roughly by his tie.

“Sure took you long enough to speak up for your daughter. What a brave man you are.” Doll commented as she casually held the blade at his throat.

“You stay away from her you, you freak!” Annie's father said angry. Doll stopped his anger rather quickly by running the switchblade over his throat just enough to make him bleed tiny droplets of blood.

“You know, it's people like you that cause people to be, what was the word you used? Oh, right freaks!” Doll told him as she took the blade away from his throat. She pulled tighter on his tie until her face was right against his. Her mouth was right against his ear. “Your daughter is right on the road to becoming a so called 'freak' so if I were you I would watch how you treat her. If you know what I'm saying.” Doll said and pulled back away from with a shrug of her shoulders. She pushed him away and let go of his tie. He fell back into the crowd of terrified citizens.

“Um, boss?” One of her henchman said to get her attention. Doll rolled her eyes.

“I know. I'm coming.” She told him annoyed. “Well, this is where I say goodbye. If anyone here knows Simone Carrillo tell him I said thanks for the money.” Doll told them with a giggle before making her exit.

Gordon and the other officers arrived on the scene twenty minutes later. Gordon was actually surprised- everyone survived.

“Commissioner I spoke to a few of the witnesses they all said Doll's attention was mainly focused on a young girl.” An officer name James Parker told him.

“Where is she?” Gordon asked him. Parker pointed to the waiting room where a small girl was sitting on one of the chairs there with a middle aged woman.

“I spoke to her mom. She said Doll spent a few minutes talking to her but she couldn't hear what was said. The girls name is Annabelle Pruitt.” Gordon nodded before he made his way over to her.

“Hello, there.” Gordon said to the girl with a friendly smile. The girl looked up at him but didn't say a word. “I'm Commissioner Gordon.” He told her.

“I know, I've seen you on TV.” She told him.

“Is it alright if I talk with Annabelle alone?” Gordon asked her mother. She gave him a small smile before patting her daughter on the knee before leaving Gordon alone with her. Gordon took a seat across from her.

“I go by Annie.” She told him.

“Okay then Annie; is it alright if I ask you a few questions about what happened today?” Gordon asked her gently.

Annie shrugged. “I guess.”

“Witnesses say that Doll talked to you. Is that correct?” Gordon asked. Annie nodded. “Did she hurt you?”

“No,” Annie told him shaking her head.

“Okay, what did she say to you?” Gordon asked.

Annie shrugged again. “Lots of stuff, she just tried to explain to me that I didn't have to listen to anyone else if I didn't want to.” Annie told him in a quiet voice.

“Do you believe that?” Gordon questioned her.

“I don't know,” Annie said looking up at Gordon briefly. “She said I wouldn't always have to do what my daddy says. She said even if I'm small I didn't have to be afraid of anyone. That I could be like her. How everyone is afraid of her and listens to her.” Annie explained to him.

“Do you believe her?” He watched her carefully.

“Maybe a little, I mean she does do whatever she wants.” She told him. Gordon was surprised what kind of effect Doll has had on the nine year old girl in the few minutes she spoke to her.

“Yes, but she kills people. She doesn't care about anyone and she has no one. Do you think that’s a great way to live?” Gordon asked her hoping to make her see right. He couldn't bear it if the young girl left her still thinking Doll's life sounded like a good idea.

“I guess not.” Annie said looking back down at her knees.

It was around midnight as Doll sat on the table inside her room with a half-eaten pizza box in front of her. Her legs were tucked underneath her and mirroring her position on the other side was The Joker. It was the first time she had seen him in person in weeks.

“Heard you stole some money today,” The Joker brought up casually.

“Yeah, it was real fun.” Doll told with a large smile covering her face. Her blues eyes twinkled at him as she stared at him in the darkened room.

“Mob bank?” He asked again.

“Yeah, I uh wanted to hit the new mob leader Carrillo where it hurts- his wallet.” Doll explained to him before taking a bite of her slice of pizza.

“Yeah, I've heard about him. Apparently he thinks Gotham is going to be his.” The Joker said with a shake of his head. His dyed green curls shook around his face as he did so. He licked his scars as he looked up at Doll.

“Yeah, he's going to learn real quickly that Gotham,” Doll paused as she stared right at The Joker before continuing. “Is mine!”

The Joker titled his head as he squinted his eyes at Doll. He chewed on the inside of his cheek before straightened back up with a roll of his shoulders. “Gotham is yours?” He asked her.

“Yeah, do you have a problem with that because if you do I have a bullet that can solve any complaints you have.” Doll told him seriously but with a smile.

“I don't normally do this but with you I'm willing to make an exception.” The Joker began. Doll motioned for him to continue. “We both are working towards the same goal so how about we uh.. share Gotham. That seems to be working so far.”

“Only because you asked so nicely. You got a deal.” Doll told him.

She held her hand across the table for a handshake. The Joker grasped her hand in a tight squeeze and pulled her closer to his face. Dolls eyes suddenly lit up as she remembered the gift she had for him. She tugged herself away from him and went to the cluttered desk that was shoved into one of the corners of the room. Laying on top of it was a small, white box. She hopped back on to the table and held out the box for him to take.

The Joker looked from the small box to Doll several times before finally taking it. “You got me a gift?” He asked unbelieving.

“I thought it was fair since you know you got me something, remember.” She reminded him and pointed towards her messy bed where the little porcelain version of Doll that he got her sat. The Joker turned his head around to look where she was pointing and smiled when he saw it.

He lifted the lid of the box and inside laid a brand new switchblade. He noticed right away that the handle was green- one of his favorite colors. It was a good blade, very sharp and well made.

“Where did you get it?” He randomly asked.

“Does it really matter?” Doll asked as she waved her hand dismissing the question.

“Point taken,” he said. He closed the blade before tucking it in his pants pocket. They were both barren of their coats and shoes as the relaxed on the table top.

They talked well into the night to each other. They talked about their recent 'jobs', their philosophy on life, and even the stupidity of their henchmen. At some point in the night their conversation had brought them to lay next to each horizontally on Doll's bed with their legs hanging over the edge. They stared up at the faded, white ceiling as they talked with their shoulders brushing until sleep finally brought the room to silence.

Doll groaned in annoyance when she was awoken by a loud buzzing noise somewhere near her ear. It didn't sound life threatening to her so she chose to ignore it. She buried her head deeper into her pillow. It took her a moment before she realized her pillow was moving and that it wasn't a pillow at all. Cracking her eyes open she saw green. She had been using The Joker's side as a pillow. She also noticed the buzzing had not stopped and it was coming from his right pants pocket.

“Whatever is making the noise make it stop.” Doll mumbled to him. She felt him shift underneath her. She felt his surprising bare hands nudge her off of him as he stood up. Doll made a small noise of protest when her head landed back on the bed. She watched from where she laid as he sat up straight and pulled a cellphone, mostly like a prepaid one, from his pocket.

“Hello,” The Joker answered annoyance present in his voice. He was silent as he listened to whomever was on the other end of the call. “If I was arrested I wouldn't have answered the phone, now would I?” He asked them. Doll let out a few small giggles and he turned to face her briefly. “I'm sure you can survive without me for a day.” He told the person. “Just do what you normally do when I am there!” He said annoyed before hanging up on them.

“Ah, henchman their such loyal pets.” Doll told him still lying on the bed. She watched as The Joker stretched his back muscles. He ran a hand through his messy green curls after he stretched. His head turned to look at Doll who was still lying on the bed watching him.

“Do you uh see something you like?” He asked her.

Doll shrugged before responding. “I won't say that I don't like it.” She told him.

He smiled showing off his yellowed teeth to her. “The feelings mutual.”

Doll returned his smile with one of her own. She sat up on the bed as she ran her fingers through her long, messy hair. After wiggling her toes for a moment she stood up from her bed. She walked over to the table that stood in the center of the room where the empty pizza box from last night still sat. She glanced over at The Joker who was pulling on his purple gloves. He seemed to be right at home sitting on Doll's bed. He licked his scars that were barely covered after a night sleeping in his face paint.

“Do you want breakfast or something?” Doll asked suddenly after a moment of silence.

“I think I should probably go. It's not safe to live my men alone for so long. They might pee on the carpet if I'm not there to watch them.” He explained as he put on his shoes that were setting next to the bed.

“Understandable.” Doll agreed. He stood up when had his shoes tied. She handed him his signature purple coat. He smiled as he slipped it on. He reached her door when Doll spoke to him. “I'm going to show this Simone Carrillo just who he's dealing with and well I don't normally like working with others,” She paused to make sure he was listening. He was staring at her curiously. “But it could be fun to give him twice the amount of trouble. If you're up to it of course.” She told him trying to sound casual about the whole thing. Inside Doll actually hoped he would agree.

“Sounds like a great idea. Count me in.” He agreed.

Doll walked him to the door of the theater where they would part ways.

“See you around.” Doll told him. The Joker nodded in agreement.

Before he left Doll did something that surprised them both. She pulled him back before he could walk out the door. Standing in front of him she lifted herself up to his height and kissed him quickly on his right facial scar. She felt him briefly tense before losing up again. He touched the scar underneath her left eye before bringing his mouth next to her right ear.

“I'll be seeing you soon Doll.” He told her and left a small kiss in return to the scar below her right eye. Doll's blue eyes watched as he left and shut the door behind him. Doll stood there for a moment before going back to her room, only after yelling to Tommy to get food. Later today Doll was going to make a surprise visit to Simone Carrillo. She couldn't wait.