You Don't Own Me

The next night, Violet lay quietly in her bed as the guards filtered through their hall, checking each cell with their flashlights just like they did every night. Once the hall fell silent, she heard the Joker whispering her name. She moved quietly to the bars between their cells and looked at him with wide eyes, trying her best to see him in the near-dark.

"They usually come to get me for electro-shocking in about an hour. We've got to move," he whispered, and she could hear the excitement in his voice. She nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her and they both listened for what was going to happen next.

Finally, after a few long moments they heard someone quietly coming down the hall. J's cell popped open with a barely audible click and she heard him shuffling, undoubtedly slipping into the guard's uniform that the man he employed on the Arkham staff brought him. A few tense moments passed and Violet was sure that he was just going to leave without taking her with him. But then finally, her own cell popped open and she vaguely saw a pale white hand reaching for her. She slipped her fingers into his grasp and he pulled her close. For just a second she thought he was going to kiss her, but then he didn't. His arm loosened and he passed her her own uniform. She slipped into it as quietly as she could, holding onto him a couple of times to balance herself.

Once they were both outfitted, she heard J mumble something to the man who had broken them out and then she saw his figure retreating rather quickly in the other direction.

"Ready, little one?" J's quiet voice asked her, and it was only then she realized how scared she was. Even though she knew he'd done this dozens of times, she couldn't help but be just a little bit terrified that this would be the time he'd get caught. She didn't know what the staff would do to them if they did get caught, and she didn't want to think about it. "Violet," he whispered her name, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah," she whispered back, and faintly saw him nod.

"Let's go," he said, taking her arm in his grasp and holding onto it tightly. Normally she would've been annoyed at the tightness of his hold, but in that moment she was kind of thankful for it. It made her feel more steady.

He navigated her through the halls skillfully, and before she even knew it, they were walking right out the front door as he flashed a fake badge at the bored-looking woman sitting at the reception desk. She buzzed the door open for them and all of a sudden, they were out on the street.

"Be calm," J reminded her, leading her to a plain black van a little ways away. She nodded in the dim moonlight, still pretty thankful for his hand holding her steady. They climbed into the van and J had been driving it for a good while before either of them said anything.

"I feel sick," she said, breaking their silence. She watched as J shot her a sideways glance.

"Feel free to vomit in the van. It belongs to Arkham," he said, and she knew he was trying to make her smile, but mostly she just felt more sick.

"No, I... pull over. Pull over!" she yelled, surprising him. He did as she asked and she got out of the van and vomited a couple of times on the side of the road. He watched her from his place in the driver's seat, and when she looked up at him a few minutes later, he motioned for her to get back in. Not knowing what else to do, she did so.

"Where am I taking you?" he asked her after he started driving again. She looked at him, surprised. "What?" he asked, and she shrugged.

"I don't know... Mostly it's just weird to see you actually care about something," she said, knowing that maybe she wasn't saying exactly what she meant but not knowing how else to put it. He scoffed.

"Don't believe everything you see on the news, little one. After all, I do have a soul. I think," he said, and she saw his eyes dart her way to see if she'd smiled. She had.

"I don't have anywhere to go," she said, answering his earlier question. It occurred to her that she hadn't quite thought the whole 'breaking out' thing through all the way.

"Nowhere?" he asked, and she shook her head. Before she knew it was happening, she was explaining.

"My mom died when I was little. My dad is... gone. I don't have any other family and I lost my apartment when I got sent to Arkham. Everyone who called themselves my friend disappeared too," she rambled, not able to look at him.

"You'll stay with me then," he said, not even a touch of hesitancy in his voice. She looked at him carefully, trying to figure out his intention.

"I could... go to a shelter," she said, and he was instantly shaking his head.

"A shelter would be looking out for someone who'd just broken out of a prison for the criminally insane," he said, and she nodded and felt slightly stupid for even suggesting it. Of course everyone in Gotham would be looking for the two of them.

"I guess, then, if it wouldn't be too much of an imposition..." she trailed off, and he shook his head.

"None at all. I've got plenty of room," he said, and she looked at him blankly for a few minutes before saying anything else. He really was so... different than she'd expected him to be.

"Okay," she agreed, watching him as he tried to hide a small smile.