Straying out of Sanity

Nobody bothered me as I left the Gotham Superior Courthouse. Nobody cared, they were too busy with most of the Italian Mafia's arrest. And I didn't care about them. I just wanted out of that place. The sidewalk was much more crowded than before so I was having a harder time walking back than I was when I was walking here. And it wasn't helping that I was questioning whether or not to go back. I was telling myself that I had to because Laurel was still back at the mansion. And besides that I'd just gone through hell with the Italian mob boss and if I didn't go back all of that would've been for noth-.

"Umph!"

Right then I had quickly relearned why you were supposed to watch where you were walking, especially on busy sidewalks. I had ran into someone, hard. I couldn't keep my balance with my heels on and ended up on the ground, along with who a ran into and, of course (because whenever someone runs into someone else they're always carrying a fuck load of paper), all their papers.

"Fuck," they muttered as I sat up. They were already on their hands and knees grabbing everything. I moved my bangs out of my face and suddenly recognized this person.

"Since when do you cuss?" I asked her and she glanced up at me for a second before going back to collecting her papers. She quickly did a double take before dropping the papers and helping me up.

"Emma, oh my God," Rachel said, once we were standing she hugged me quickly. "What are you... wearing?" she asked, eying my odd attire.

"I... um..." I laughed nervously and picked up some of her papers which she had temporarily forgotten about. Funny you should ask that, actually. You know that psychopath clown dude? Yeah I'm kinda living with him and he gave me these clothes so I could go talk to that asshole mob boss Maroni. "Maybe you shouldn't ask that question," I told her, handing her the papers I picked up and she messily shoved them into random manila folders.

She gave me the kind of look my mom used to give me back when I was a kid and I smiled at her.

"What are you doing in this part of town then?" she asked.

"Um... don't ask that either," my smile faded.

"Okay then what are you doing?" she asked the broadest question she could think of obviously.

"Well I was walking but now I'm talking to you," keeping my answer broad as well.

She folded her arms and kept that look on her face. I sighed at her and she rolled her eyes.

"You know you can always come to me if your in trouble," she stated.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go to my older cousin, the Assistant District Attorney, to keep me out of trouble," I told her, now also crossing my arms.

"I'm serious," she told me and I nodded sarcastically, if thats even possible. "Look... you remember Bruce Wayne right?"

"Your asking me if I remember Gotham's billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne?" I almost laughed.

"Yes, but you remember him, right?"

"Of course. I don't care how young I was, I couldn't forget a mansion like he used to live in."

She laughed, "Yeah, they're rebuilding it now I think."

I know, I saw it. I mean I kinda live in the Palisades right now.

"But anyways, he's throwing a party in a couple days at his penthouse-"

"Thats nice," I cut her off.

"Emma, please."

"I don't do parties anymore-"

"It's not that kind of party, its a fundraiser thing Bruce is throwing for my boyfriend," it was my cousin's turn to cut me off now, "It's not like when you and Jay would get wasted and I'd have to take care of you two and make up lies to my parents."

"Your boyfriend? You mean Harvey Dent I assume?" I asked her and she nodded. "Yeah, what makes you think I'd suddenly want do be around him?"

"Your around me."

"I never see you anymore," I said, trying to walk away from her but she grabbed my arm to stop me.

"Well maybe if you weren't so secretive about your life and maybe if you had a permanent residence we'd see more of each other. Plus this is important to me."

"Some stupid fundraiser party is important to you?" I asked her disbelievingly.

"No, I want you to meet Harvey."

"Well I don't. People like Harvey and I don't mix well."

"Emma, please, just at least think about it."

I sighed. She wasn't one to give up easily. She never was. "Even if I wanted to I probably couldn't go."

"Here," she let go of my arm to dig through her purse, making sure not to drop all her papers again as she did, and pulled out a card and handed it to me.

"Jesus Christ," I smiled at the card she handed me, seeing her name printed on it, along with her profession and about three numbers and an email address. "You're crazy," I teased, sticking her card in the purse I had. I'd have to take it back out before The Joker got it back, but still. I didn't have any pockets.

"Just call me," she smiled back. "That party, it's in two days. I can get you a dress if you need one, just please try and come."

"Okay, I'll try" I told her after another sigh and her smile grew.

"Thank you, Emma," she said and hugged me again.

"Listen Rachel," I quickly pulled out of her hug, suddenly remembering that The Joker was waiting for me to come back and I didn't want to push his patience,"I have to go."

"Why?" Rachel asked me quickly.

"I just... I'm... I'm in a hurry, I have to go."

"Emma," I started to walk away but again she grabbed my arm and stopped me. "If you need anything, if you need to talk or whatever, I'm here okay?"

"Okay," I said and she let go of my arm and started walking away herself. Before I started walking too, I took both my heels off and decided to just carry them, because fuck heels right now. They're not important to me right now and they probably never will be.

I'm not sure of how I felt about going back to the Joker actually. Every steep I took towards that alley I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, the limo and van would be gone. But then again that would also mean Mitch and Jay were also gone. And it would maybe take me six or seven hours to get back to the Palisades to get Laurel (if I'd even be allowed into the Palisades, that is). And, besides that point, being with The Joker and his men had given me the first actual "home" I'd had since Jay ran away and I went along with him, bringing Laurel too of course. By the time I had reached the alley I was half expecting The Joker and everyone to be gone but as I came to the opening and looked down the alley I found my view was blocked by a black Cadillac Escalade limo with a white Chevy stalker van parked behind it.

I wasn't sure if I should be happy or angry upon seeing that sight and kept on walking, down the alley and to the back left door of the limousine, the one through which I had exited. I opened the door, throwing my shoes onto the floor before sitting down on the seat and closing the door, using a bit more force than necessary might I add. I removed the purse I was given and carelessly placed it on the seat between The Joker and I.

I noticed him looking at me and I turned to glare at him. Yep, I was still pissed at him. Joker drew back a bit, glancing to Croc for a second before glancing back to me and then to Croc again, asking, "What did I do?"

I snorted at his question and folded my arms, staring out of my window.

"I wouldn't doubt it if you two shared the same dislikin' for the Italians," Croc answered after a second.

"Well, maybe if Mr. Hartley here had told me who the hell I was going to see I wouldn't be so pissed off at him!" I yelled at Croc, which was actually kind of stupid of me because he was easily five times bigger than me, but he just laughed and turned back to The Joker, who now had that purse in his lap and was going through it.

"You sure you're not screwin' her?" he asked, still laughing.

I went to give Croc an appalled look but quickly noticed that Joker had beat me to it and I gave him a look of disbelief instead. Like I wasn't good enough for him. This made Croc laugh harder and the Joker soon noticed me staring at him like I was and quickly resumed going through the purse.

I can't believe it, I'm stuck in a limo full of assholes.

"What's this?" the Joker asked barely a seconds later. I looked over at him to see him eying the business card my cousin had given me and my eyes suddenly grew wide. Shit.

"Um..." the look on his face told me there was no use in lying to him, "My cousin gave that to me."

"Your cousin is Rachel Dawes?" he asked, disbelieving me.

"Yeah."

His left hand was suddenly gripping my jaw and upper neck and I moved quickly to get away from him but his other hand shot to the other side of my head and pulled me towards him. "Stop... struggling..." he told me, studying my face. I reluctantly did as told and just stared back at him. After a couple moments of this nonsense he let me go with an, "Ah." I pulled away from him quickly as he continued with, "I see it now. Your cheekbones aren't as... melty and your nose isn't puggisly awkward but I see it now."

I rolled my eyes at his statement, turning away from him slightly.

"So you ran into your cousin?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said blandly.

"I thought I told you not to talk to anyone but Tracey."

"How did you expect me to not talk to anyone but Tracey when I had to convince the slime ball to 'hire' you?" I asked, doing the little air quotes, "And I didn't tell her anything that means anything to you."

He remained silent after I said that for a few seconds before asking, "So why'd she give this to you?"

"She invited me to a party because she wants me to meet her boyfriend. I kept saying that I couldn't so she gave me her number and told me to call her."

"Her boyfff-?" Joker started to ask but suddenly quit, instead asking, "And what about the 'slime ball'? Was he reasonable?"

"He was definitely not reasonable at all but he did eventually agree to hire you... But..."

"But?"

I swallowed uncomfortably. I was now second guessing my leaving Maroni so quickly in fear of how the Joker could react to the new deal.

"But?" Joker urged me to continue.

"But he wants Lau too. Alive."

"Hm..." Joker shoved the purse off his lap and a few of the contents spilled out onto the seat next to me. "Hmhmhmm..."

"Croc?" Joker finally asked.

"Yeah?"

"How much spending money do you have on you?"

"'Bout two thousand, why?" My eyes instantly shot to Croc with his words.

"I need it," Joker replied and Croc pulled out a thick wad of cash.

"Why?"

"Your boy needs to take my woman shopping for a party dress, thats why."

"Then what are we doin'?"

"We're going Bat huntin'."