Are You Insane? No I'm in Love!

Third Person POV

Jennifer walked into the kitchen and sighed, “Why in hell am I gonna need these?” she thought. She rested her “gifts” from Joker onto the counter as she started to go through the cabinets, when Bruiser shuffled in, “Yo Curly, what do we got for grub?”

“It‘s soup and unless you plan on robbing the Gotham Grocery, this is the last of the food for awhile” she put her hands on her hips.

“Forget about the soup. There‘s been a change of plans,” Joker grumbled as he entered, followed by the other two clowns, “tonight… we’ll be feasting with the elite of Gotham. Get in the van.”

The three clowns did as they were told, leaving Jennifer and Joker remaining. “What do you intend to do?” she narrowed her eyes. “Aww, J-Lee… J-Lee… you act as if I was caught stealing from the cookie jar. Now, like I said before, you’ll need these and get in the van. Now” Joker shoved the box into the girl’s hands and walked out.

“… J-Lee? What kind of name is J-Lee?!” Jen questioned aloud. She winced and followed Joker out.

Jennifer was about to buckle up in the back of the van when Joker grunted from the driver’s seat, “No, sit your ass down here!” he pointed to the passenger’s seat. Krist gave Jennifer a sympathetic look, she just sighed and scooted to the front.

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Jennifer Lee’s POV

I started to brace myself for the sonic boom that was the van speeding off into the street, but instead; Joker gently put the car in gear and pulled out at a nice pace. Phew!

During the ride to wherever the hell we were going, I just stared out the passenger’s window looking at the scenery. After I got tired of that I looked in the back of the van, only to see Krist, Clyde and Bruiser taking amongst each other. I turned to the Joker who was concentrating on the road.

“Um…”

“Hmm?” the clown murmured, still concentrating.

“Thank you for the… uh… gifts.”

“No problem toots” he gripped the steering wheel, making a left turn.

There was silence. Absolute awkward silence.

“I know you haven’t been out recently, so… did you make the mask yourself? Paint and all?” I questioned, pushing a strand of curly hair behind my ear.

“Um, yeah I guess so” he grunted.

Wow. He actually could do something other than slit people’s throats.

“Yo boss, how much longer do we have?” Clyde asked, “Riiiiiiight NOW!” Joker slammed the breaks, almost sending me through the windshield.
“Oh for the love of- whoa…” we were parked right outside a huge building. It was probably an apartment complex meant for the best-of-the-best Gotham big wigs. Joker wasn’t kidding after all.

“Alright boys, It’s off to work we go!” Joke hummed a sickening merry tune as we all piled out of the van; I was the last out, my legs feeling like jell-o.

“Common common, we haven’t got all day!” Joker came back and pulled me along; my knees almost scraping the pavement.

As we glided into the building, a security guard saw us. “Hey! You’re not allowed to-’

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Blood spattered across the smooth marble floor. Clyde grabbed the body and started to drag the body to the elevator. “Going up” I mumbled as I followed.

“Alright, everybody know the plan?”

The boys nodded their heads while I mumbled something along the lines of “I guess.”

“Okay… masks on…” Joker said while propping the body of the dead security guard in front of him, “and now we begin.”

With a ding the elevator opened to reveal hundreds of people who all turned to the elevator to see Joker throw down the body onto the floor. “We made it” he mumbled to us, while all the big wigs began to panic.

Joker then whipped out a rifle and shot at the ceiling. All went silent.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen” he walked toward what appeared to be a table of h’or dourves while the boys and I aimed our guns at the patrons.

I had never used a gun in my life. Hopefully, I won’t have to use it tonight.

“We are… tonight’s entertainment!” Joker boomed as he took a bite out of a shrimp cocktail. Unsatisfied, he dropped it back onto the tray. “I only have one question: Where is Harvey Dent?” he finished.

Not getting a reply, he resorted to wander over to a group of patrons who all appeared to be shaking. He grabbed one of their wine glasses and took a swig of what was left and set it down.

“Do y’know where Harvey is?” He asked a waitress, giving her a small pat on the cheek. “Do you know who he is?” Without an answer, he continued to the next person.

“Do you know where I could find Harvey? I need to talk to him about something, just something little, huh?” He asked a man has Joker patted the man’s balding head. “No” Joker moved the man’s head from side to side, answering his own question.

He continued his interrogation to an old but distinguished looking man. “You know, I’ll settle for his loved ones” Joker offered as he took a bite out of another shrimp. “We’re not intimidated by thugs” the man replied, sounding like my grandfather.

“You know, you remind me of my father… I hated my father.” Joker grabbed the back of the man’s neck, as he waved his switchblade in front of the man’s face.

Here we go again.

“Okay, stop.” a voice came from my area of the crowd, as a young women stepped out. She was really pretty. Joker must’ve thought that too.

He let go of the man and started to approach her “Well hello beautiful.” he slicked his hair back and licked his lips. “You must be Harvey’s squeeze, hmm? And… you are beautiful.”

At first I had felt pity for the girl but at the same time I felt a pang of jealousy; I didn’t know why, but I continued to watch.

Joker circled her, watching her wince “You look nervous… is it the scars?” He made a gesture to his face. “You wanna know how I got’em?” he asked. He then grabbed her face and after she had calmed down he began his tale.

“So I had a wife… she was beautiful, like you… who tells me I worry too much, who tells me I ought a smile more, who gambles and gets in deep with the sharks…”

Wait a minute, that’s not the right story at all! “Grrrrr…” I muttered under my breath, still listening in.

“One day, they carve her face, and we had no money for surgeries. She can’t take it… I just wanna see her smile again, hmm? I just want her to know that I don’t care about the scars. So, I stick a razor in my mouth… and do this… to myself,” he gestures to his face again, “and you know what? She can’t stand the sight of me… she leaves, and now I see the funny side. Now I’m always smiling.”

With that, the woman kicked Joker square in the shin and backed away. Joker just laughed, “A little fight in you… I like that.”

“Then you’re gonna love me” came a gruff voice from nowhere and then a giant flash of black came from out of nowhere and punched the Joker. Once again everyone started to panic.

Holy crap… it’s Batman!

The boys all headed towards him, with guns, knives and fists at the ready; but it were no match for Batman as he began to throw punches and kick himself. Suddenly, Krist knocked Batman to the floor giving Joker the chance to throw a few cheap shots. Alas, it didn’t last long as the Bat threw a killer punch sending Joker to the floor.

“NO! Don’t hurt him!” I screamed and threw myself onto the Bat, wrapping my arms around his neck from behind. Sadly I wasn’t strong enough and he quickly shook me off with my entire body slamming into the back wall. The force of the blow has knocked off my mask, but it still managed to cover half my face.

When the Bat whirled around, he saw Joker holding “Harvey’s squeeze” with a gun against her head.

“Drop the gun” Batman demanded.

“Sure, you just take off your little mask and show us all who you really are, hmmm? HA HA HA!” Joker laughed as he blew out the window dragging the hostage with him. There, Joker stood on the balcony, dangling the woman off of it.

“Let her go” the Bat grunted.

“Oh, a very poor choice of words. HA HA!” Joker grinned as he dropped the woman off of the balcony. Without hesitation Batman charged to the window and jumped. That was the last of him for the time being.

My head started to go foggy, the room was spinning. I felt like I was floating. I heard familiar voices call out, “Jennifer! Jennifer Lee! Hunny, is that you?!”
“Jennifer Lee Blackwell, if it’s you please answer us! Oh God, please let it be you!” I looked into the crowd to see the shape of a woman and a man. They reminded me of my… They looked like my… I think it was…

“M-mom? Dad?” I faintly asked but I never got an answer. Somebody quickly covered my face, picked me up and carried me towards the elevator. I could tell the two shapes were pushing their way through the crowd but it was too late; the elevator doors had closed.

“Blackwell, eh? Well it doesn‘t matter now, you‘re safe” a voice echoed.

At last, I closed my eyes and everything seemed to fade into the darkness except a painted smile and a pair of brown eyes.