Straying out of Sanity

Bruce had won his argument and within the hour Rachel and I were wearing almost matching white men's dress shirts, obviously he owned no women's clothing, and when Rachel noticed the old gunshot wound on my leg she prompted many questions which I managed to avoid, difficultly.

Bruce had given Rachel and Harvey the guest bedroom to his penthouse. I, however, had taken a temporary residence on an actually very comfortable couch surrounding an expensive entertainment system. Rachel and I slowly caught up in front of it until about midnight, when Harvey beckoned her to bed. Bruce, on the other hand, was absent most of the night. So after Harvey and Rachel went to bed I was left alone on the couch, facing a sleepless night.

I laid on the couch, scolding my mind for wandering, for an agonizing six hours before I realized the room was beginning to fill with the early morning sunlight. I yawned vainly, still hoping there would be a possibility of me sleeping before deciding it might be better to leave now, silently and before anyone woke up. I sighed before sitting up quickly and changing back into my gold dress and heels on the spot. I then folded up Bruce's shirt and left it on the couch.

Combing through my hair with my fingers, I made my way through Bruce's penthouse to the elevator that would take me down to Gotham. But before I could get there, I noticed a light on in the bathroom as well as the door partly ajar.

I walked much slower and quieter when passing the door, hoping not to let the occupant know I was leaving. But before I got halfway past the door a sharp intake of breath was sounded from inside, followed by a quiet string of profanities. I stopped to listen silently as more pained noises filled who I recognized as Bruce's voice in the bathroom. To be honest it scared me and I wanted to leave as quick as possible but it was obvious Bruce was hurt somehow and I was more curious than frightened.

Slowly, I pushed the door more open until I could see Bruce standing in front of the sink, numerous medical supplies laid at the center before him as he was tending to a stab wound and a giant bruise on his side and shoulder.

I gasped from the painful sight, unable to stop myself and gained Bruce's attention who dropped everything he was doing to turn to me and say "Emmalee!" as if I had caught him at a very bad time.

"...Holy shit," was all I could muster out as a response taking in his horrible state. As I stared Bruce struggled to try and get on of his button up shirts on to cover his wounds up.

"W-what..." I began to ask as my overly tired mind begin to stretch, almost unrealistically .

"I didn't know you were awake," Bruce said, acting like this was nothing, but the glint in his eyes...it was just about enough to confirm my outlandish suspicions.

"You're bleeding!" I finally exclaimed and moved forward to quickly to swat at his fumbling hands to see the stab wound better. It didn't look deep enough to do serious damage but was horribly stitched up and was slowly oozing blood. "What the fuck happened to you?!" I asked as Bruce moved to fully close us into the bathroom.

"Um..." Bruce started as I grabbed some gauze laying on the counter and hurried to put it over the shallow wound.

"You'll mess up your clothes" I said to him and he quietly laughed, loosening some of the tension between us. "But seriously, What happened to you?"

"It's...kind of a long story..." Bruce said, taking the gauze from me and moving back to the medical supplies on the counter.

"Fine, who did this?"

"Also a long story."

I sighed at him, trying to suppress the fact that everything he was saying, was actually supporting my preposterous theory.

"What are you doing up so early today?" Bruce asked casually, finishing dressing the wound to his lower ribcage before buttoning up his shirt.

I folded my arms, trying to not let him change the subject so quickly but he only smiled and fixed the collar on his shirt, patiently waiting for me to reply.

"I was actually headed out," I replied to him blandly, though I couldn't stop thinking how that stab wound was miraculously similar to where The Joker kicked Batman.

"Already?" Bruce asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Um...yeah," I said, tucking some hair behind my ear and turning to open the bathroom door. "I was expected back last night, I think I should go."

"Well if you're sure you want to leave," Bruce said following me out of the bathroom. "At least let me drive you."

"I don't think...um..." I started, wondering how I could tell him where he was to take me without being suspicious, especially with him being...well with the coincidence injuries he has.

"What? A Lambo isn't your style?" Bruce joked but I didn't laugh.

"No..I'm just not sure...really, I'd be fine walking."

"Nonsense. What kind of man would I be to let a lady, as yourself just walk out of here?"

"I...I suppose you could at least drop me off close by..."

"Close by is better than nothing," he smiled and led me down the hallway, to the elevator,and out of the place. It was a silent ride down between us, and even so as we walked though the lobby. I couldn't help but notice the way Bruce was walking now was almost like he was suppressing or hiding a limp, on the same side as his giant bruise. When he had the valet bring his car around I was still in shock at the sight of his Lamborghini, even if he previously stated he owned one.

"Oh shit," I mumbled as the passenger door slid up for me. There definitely no chance of The Joker driving one of these. I also noticed how many nice cars I had been inside of recently.

"So," Bruce started as he sat inside the car, starting the engine, "Where to, Ms. Carson"

"Um...north"

"How far north?"

"Like....a few blocks from the Bob Kane bridge," I replied and Bruce revved his engine before speeding, quite literally, off. "Aren't you afraid of being pulled over?"

"Do you have any idea what kind of engine this has in it? Simply put, a police cruiser has a V8, this has a V12, love," Bruce laughed.

"Um...okay?" I answered, a bit unsure of how to reply.

"Don't you know anything about cars?"

"Nope," I smiled, as if it was a praise able thing. Bruce only chuckled.

"So what exactly do you mean by 'a few blocks from Bob Kane bridge'?" he asked after sighing.

"Like...a few blocks from the Bob Kane bridge," I replied being as vague as possible.

"You really don't want me to know where you're going do you?" Bruce laughed and I laughed also, nervously

"I said I'd be fine walking," I told him.

"I also ave you my reason to why I had to drive you," Bruce continued. I remained silent, only giving him a look that showed my stubbornness towards him taking me to The Joker's manner. As interesting as that would be, I'm sure it would end in someone dying, most likely me. "Right here is fine," I stated blandly looking away from Bruce. He had taken me just about two streets down from the bridge and I would be able to walk back to the mansion in an hour.

"You sure?" Bruce asked and quickly pulled to the side of the road and stopped.

"Yes I'm sure. You aren't going to follow me are you?" I asked, sliding the door up but not getting out quite yet.

"I don't think it'd be possible to follow anyone in this car," Bruce stated and I took that as a no. I unbuckled myself and stood from the car. "I'm very glad I got the chance to see you again, Emma. Rachel was ecstatic when she told me you two ran into each other, I'm sure she was just as happy as I was," Bruce added.

"It was good to see you again too," I said shortly and with another goodbye Bruce sped off. I stood on the curb and watched him drive until he turned a corner. I sighed and turned to start walking towards the bridge. It was completely bright out now but the street I was on was for the most part dead.

I yawned, besides myself, and briefly stopped to take off my wedge heels since they weren't the best walking shoes. It was about that time I heard footsteps behind me. I tried not to let my paranoia get the best of me but I couldn't help myself from quickly glancing over my shoulder. I saw two kids following me at a distance, whispering to each other and glancing at me. They couldn't be any older than Jay so they couldn't be too much of a threat, but I still opened up my clutch, making sure I didn't have a blade on me.

I, unsurprisingly, didn't find one but I did see the cellphone and I hoped that if they saw that I had it they would leave me alone. I grabbed it from my clutch purse and flipped it open, before looking behind me again, making sure they saw my phone. They had gotten a bit closer now and didn't seemed phased by the phone. Hopefully they were just little perverts and weren't plotting anything.

I looked through the phone anyways making it look like I was doing something and noticed I had a lengthy contact list. A lot of people I didn't know but everyone I did know were in there, including Jay and Mitch, and even The Joker himself. I looked up from the list on my phone and noticed two more guys standing in my path on the sidewalk. I stopped walking immediately, staring at the two who looked just as young as the kids behind me. I looked behind me to see them stopped now as well and I grunted distastefully, turning to cross the street.

"I don't have any money on me, assholes," I said loud enough for them to hear. I heard one chuckle in response and I scrolled back through my contacts to call Mitch. He'd know what to do and would most likely come and get me before they got too cocky and tried anything.

"Who you callin', sweetheart?" I heard another of the kids snicker I looked back at them to see they had followed me across the street.

"Fuck off. I told you I don't have cash. Got it?" I yelled at them and called Mitch.

"What makes you think we want your money?" another one of them asked.

"Here," I said, opening up my purse again and throwing the roll on perfume I had at them. "Take that if you don't fucking believe me and go be homos somewhere else, you fuckers!"

"What?" I heard Mitch's groggy voice ask from the phone. I didn't realize he had answered.

"Mitch, can you get someone to come get me?"

"At Bruce's?"

"No, about a street and a half south of Bob Kane Bridge. I got some ass-faced punk kids following me."

"What the hell are you there for?" Mitch asked me, suddenly more awake. I heard Laurel ask in the background what was going on.

"I'm trying to get back, just come get me already!"

"Okay, okay, just stay on the phone with me," Mitch told me.

"Alright," I sighed and glanced back at the guys again. One of them whistled and I flipped them off. I also heard Mitch talking to some people on the other line. "What's going on?"

"Trying to talk to The Joker 'bout getting you."

"Okay, just hurry, like I told you, they won't stop-"

Suddenly I was pushed up against one of the buildings, dropping everything I had, with a knife to my throat by a completely new guy, this one a bit older but still just a kid.

"Emma?!" Mitch asked on the other end.

"Umm...." I stated quietly.

"Say good-bye" the guy told me, his free hand moving down to my leg.

"I-I have to go," I said quickly into the phone as Mitch protested but the guy took my phone phone and dropped it.

"Move," he told me, taking me off the wall, spinning me around and pushed me into an alley. I was pushed far enough down the alley that it would be hard for anyone to find me now.

I was turned around and pushed into another wall by the same guy.

I scowled at him but didn't say anything. Fletcher had at least taught me to bite my tongue.

"Why you all dressed up all pretty-like, dollface?" another one of them asked and he laughed with his three buddies but the one holding me wasn't. He was staring me down like a hawk, his free hand moving around my body at his will.

"I think she's shy," another one said.

"But she had a mouth on her a minute ago," another one reasoned.

I did my best to ignore them and continued the staring contest I was having with the guy feeling me up.

"Well, are you gonna have your way with her or what?" another one of the guys laughed. The one holding me smirked at my thoroughly pissed off state.

"You're cute when you angry. Just do everything we saw an you could get out of this alive sweetie, comprende?" he whispered, pressing his knife harder into my throat.

"You punks don't know who your dealing with," I mumbled. The four other guys laughed when I said that.

"Not yet we don't!" one laughed. He moved me off the wall and stood behind me and joined his friend in molesting me.

The two continued to make vulgar advances towards me and I ignored them as best as possible, staring down the alley, past everyone, concentrating on what I could do if the damn guy would just move the knife away from my neck. It was slowly happening as he was too absorbed in my body. But I'd be lucky if the dragging of the knife across my neck didn't severely cut me. I'm sure I was already bleeding.

Suddenly the knife was lifted barely from my neck and almost instantly, since that was my only restraint, I punched him hard in the side of his skull. He staggered to the side, falling to the nearby wall for support and dropping his blade.

Half a second later the guy behind me pulled a fistful of my hair to stop me from assaulting his friend any further.

I turned around as best as I could and punched that guy directly in the crotch as hard as I could. Needless to say, he fell straight down, letting go of my hair. I didn't have the time to move before the three other guys jumped in at once. I couldn't fight all of them off of me so
I settled for screaming, flat out as loud as I could. A hand flew to my mouth and instinctively I bit down. The kid let out a scream almost as loud as my own as another of them started landing punches on me. I only bit down harder on his hand with each of the punches and felt a warm gush of coppery liquid feel in my mouth.

"Get her the fuck off me man!" the kid shrieked at his friends.

I felt more of them trying to pry me off the kid and a pair of hands wrapped themselves around my neck, choking me. Only then did I let go of the guys hand and reached behind me to grab the guys hair who had me. He yelped also and loosened his grip, obviously wanting to grab my hands instead. A second later he couldn't help but let go but by that time the others had pinned me down and had my dress hiked up to my ribs.

I started screaming and kicking as much as I could making it almost impossible for the guys to do anything to me. "Shut the fuck up bitch! If you stopped squirming and fighting this, it wouldn't fuckin' hurt!" one of them yelled at me.

"Hey, where the fuck did you drop that knife?!" another yelled.

I started screaming again, hoping someone who lived close by would call the cops, at least for me "disturbing the peace." Where the hell was Bruce anyways? I thought we 'joked' about him following me? And where were Mitch and The Joker? The mansion was less than ten minutes from here.

"What's the matter? You don't like this?" one of them taunted and then punched my stomach. "I'm sure this isn't your first time, you should be used to this kinda attention!" he continued and I received another punch to the stomach. I was crying by now and some how freed my leg from one of them and kicked the kid square in the face, crunching his nose.

One of them that was still holding me to the ground tried to punch me in response but I moved away quickly and half rolled over, using my now free leg to my full advantage, kicking everyone away from me. I soon free my lower half again and got on all fours, being forcefully pushed back by the kid restraining my arms. Another one of them caught me and hoisted me up to my feet, cold steel meeting my neck, nearly cutting all the way through my flesh. I ceased movement again as my head was pulled back painfully by the guy holding me.

"This one's a fuckin' little cunt to deal with, ain't she?" he laughed as all of them stood up. It was obvious I put up a fight with them and that they weren't going to make the same mistake of letting up on me again.

I was still crying but not from pain or frustration now. I was starting to panic. I couldn't get out of this I already tried and it pretty much almost got me killed. My only hope now was The Joker coming to save me. Mitch knew where I was so he could find me. The Joker would hear this or see this and save me. He's done it before. He saved me when I was shot, he saved me from my Dad and Aaron, and he saved me from Fletcher, that's three times. It's what he's good at, saving me. The Joker would save me this time, surely....