Batman Begins/Dark Knight 1. A new project

**Alright here i go. I've so many plans =D **

**Two bickering sisters catch the attention of two unlikely allies. The Joker being one- escaped from Arkham and ready for a new project. Dr. Crane- ready to unleash his Scarecrow on an unlikely victim. The results are unclear. Will this bring the sister's closer together or further apart? Joker/OC Scarecrow/OC**

"Ah Gotham!" a mocking laugh followed the slightly crazy gesture of hugging the air. "Don't ya' love it Crane? How easily the _minds _of it's citizens are so easy to warp. So easy to _man-ip-ulate. _Pawns on a chess board."

The word 'minds' snapped Crane back into reality. He had somewhat glazed over when the clown went off on one of his rants. It was the best thing to do.

"Yes. Indeed," his voice was unlike the first. It was crisp, but cool. It seemed to have an unnatural smoothness. Looking at the 'doctor' would match the voice to an appropriate face immediately. His pale skin and blue misty eyes could have been the features of a ghost, but oddly enough this man was relatively handsome. The glasses gave him the sophisticated look in which he was well suited and his slightly floppy black hair did not hang _too _low nor was it _too _long. Just right.

"We should find ourselves a _project-ah_." The voice of the Joker was of a different manner. It was husky, but bouncy. The tone hinted danger of the highest order and the flow with which he allowed his words to roll out of his mouth _could _provoke a certain curiosity. One which would more than likely get yourself killed. Nobody messed with this man. His high-class, theatrical and _clearly _unique purple suit, right down to his stripy ankle socks, was well known. But it wasn't the outfit that made this man most distinguishable. It was his face.

The scars that etched his face into a constant grin made the Joker beyond terrifying. Lipstick or blood? One of the many questions people asked themselves when they saw him on their television screens, newspapers and…if they ever got close enough to inspect. The hollow eyes hidden behind his charcoal makeup would startle even the bravest of men. The pools of brown held neither hate nor love. In fact, one would question whether the Joker was capable of emotion at all. His face was a white canvas; completely powdered, but cracked in most places (the corners of his smile, the frown lines on his forehead and the lines shaping his nose.) On this bizarre canvas was a work of art; shaped by the unexplored and unknown background of the Joker himself.

The vibrant green hair clashed with his purple suit horribly, but it suited him. Without his greasy green mop, he wouldn't be the Joker.

Gotham had spat out some odd figures, but he was one of the oddest by far. Together Crane and the Joker were strange. People who knew them well enough would be shocked to see them together, but they had made a (sort-of) truce.

"If you say so Joker," Dr. Crane looked at his fingernails with disinterest. He kicked a rock in front of him pointedly, "What are we doing here anyway?"

The Joker used this as a chance to suck in the image of a dark street, completely empty because he dominated the pathetic lives of those who lived here. Their fear stopped them from leaving their homes at night. Their minds at his grasp, their everyday activities diminished because they feared their own death.

He opened his eyes and gave a giggle, "And hears thinking I imagined it."

Dr. Crane frowned at him. He never had the opportunity to probe at his mind and ravish how unique it was. He never got the chance to poke around for answers because the Joker liked being…well…spontaneous.

"So _why _are we here?"

The Joker flashed his yellow teeth in his direction, "to admire the view."

Dr. Crane didn't like sarcasm. It's something his patients often used to try to spite him, but Dr. Crane sorted them out. Yes he did indeed.

"Seriously Joker."

"Hmmm… you _are _too serious Crane. You need to lighten up a bit, have some fun. Another reason to invest in my idea…"

"_Invest_?"

The Joker smirked, "Meaning spend some time thinking it over. _Investing _some _ser-i-ous _thought into it."

Crane rolled his eyes dramatically and sighed, "I've got work to do."

The Joker's expression changed and he scowled, "Oh sure _Doc-tor _Crane. While Batman flies around in his ninja kilt you sit safe and sound out of Arkham in your little chair. Well _I _might as well have not bothered escaping."

Dr. Crane stared composed at the man in front of him. The clown regretfully was right. Batman roamed free destroying any hope for a 'better Gotham.' But how exactly would 'playing' with a few 'toys' bring him down? "Please continue."

The Joker grinned again and placed an arm around his shoulder much to the Doctor's discomfort. "Look we uh… find something _real_ _nice _to steal. Something each. The Bat is sure to fall into a trap if we choose our toys _carefully_."

"I don't want to lose my job." The calm tone in which he announced this caused the Joker to snort with uncontrollable laughter. He slapped his leg and stamped his foot, all the while Crane unhooked his arm from around his neck and clicked his tongue impatiently. He watched the clown waiting for him to finish with his laughing.

"Oh Crane you tickle me!" The Joker wiped a tear away from his eye and licked his lips gleefully, "You really do! Look…listen, if you are so concerned about you're job then we'll work around it. How about…?" his charcoal-rimmed eyes glinted with danger, "We allow the Scarecrow to come out to play?"

Crane paused and stared at the twisted man facing him. It _had _been a while since he was able to flaunt his character properly. The only thing Scarecrow got to test on were his patients, scaring them into insanity and pushing them into Arkham asylum. It'd be really satisfying to allow him off the leash.

The Joker saw Crane's thoughtfulness and edged him on, "That way you can keep your job. Nobody'd know it was you."

The blue eyes of the Doctor rarely sparkled, rarely showed any sign of excitement or enticement, but at this time they did. "I suppose so," he smirked acknowledgment.

*****

The following morning was a beautiful. The sun shone through the bedroom window of 46 Shallowdrive and woke the sleeping figure of Rebecca Mc Mahon. She yawned, and opened her green eyes, spots appearing everywhere. "Mmm…" she smacked her lips together. Getting out of bed recently had proved to be rather difficult.

If she didn't get up soon, she'd be late for work. Harvey'd be pissed, being his assistant DA and all. Rebecca swung her thin legs out of bed and stretched her arms above her head. Then, after yawning once more, she pulled her chestnut brown hair out of its elastic. It fell just below her shoulders.

"Coffee!" she stood up and clumsily made her way to the kitchen and boiled the kettle. She sat herself down by the breakfast bar and stretched out the newspaper; _'He's done it again! For the 2__nd__ time in a year the Joker has managed to escape from Arkham's __**highly **__guarded walls. What's left is to ask…what is being done about the recent Joker escape? How are the police force preventing him from killing hundreds like before? And __**how**__**exactly**__ was it done…_

The telephone rang causing Rebecca to lose her concentration. She already knew who it would be before she picked up the phone, "Hello."

"Becca!" a bubbly voice shrieked down the phone. Rebecca stuck her finger in her ear wearily. She was almost deafened.

She took a deep sigh and said, "What do you want Alex?"

"Wait until you hear what happened last night!" Rebecca rolled her eyes dramatically; she could almost picture her sister jumping up and down on the spot with excitement, her green eyes (similar to her own) welled with passion. It was enough to make her sick.

"I think I know already…"

"No!" her sister cut across her, "Let **me** tell you…me and James…we…we…" she burst into fits of giggles.

Rebecca sighed and looked at the clock on her wall. _8:40. _She **really **didn't have time for this. "Look Alex…I really have to go I'm going to be late."

"Yeah yeah. Hey before you go! Have you talked to Dr. Crane about an interview with me?"

Rebecca mentally slapped herself. She'd forgotten all about it. "Yeah…um…"

"And…?"

"He said maybe." _Lies. Lies. Lies. _

"It's better than no anyways."

"Yeah well…I really have to go. I'll talk to you later…" Rebecca hung up before she gave her sister the chance to say goodbye. To outside viewers she must have seemed like an ignorant bitch, but honestly…her sister slept with a different man every week and Rebecca was just sick of hearing about it.

She stood by the phone for a few moments thinking. Taxi or walk? Taxi or walk? Taxi or walk? Was it seriously safe to walk? _Do you have time to walk? _She bit her lip and glanced at the clock again. "Better get moving…"

*****

Alex was going to interview commissioner Gordon today. "It'd be really great…" she thought aloud, "to hear some juicy police bizz…"

She applied her lip liner to enhance her rouged lips and added a layer of protection coating on her perfectly manicured nails. Looking in her mirror she pouted and pushed her hair up sexily.

"Good evening Commissioner," she purred, "about last night…" She couldn't help but giggle at this; it seemed so suggestive.

"Oh!" she searched in her bathroom cupboard panicky and sighed with relief when she found what she was looking for. "What would I do without you guys…?" she opened her tic-tacs and shook two into her hand. "Cheers."

****

_2.30pm. _

Dozens of people spilled out of the conference room. Dr. Crane had emitted yet another criminal into Arkham Asylum. There had been a bit of an uproar.

Rebecca approached the man cautiously. He had had a rough day. People were questioning his authority and his actions. She almost felt bad for the guy.

"Dr. Crane?" she was eventually face to face with him.

"Ah. Miss Mc Mahon."

"Call me Rebecca," she gave a slight smile, "Miss Mc Mahon just emphasizes that I'm not married." She gave an awkward laugh.

He smiled at her. Rebecca never noticed how much of an amazing smile he had… She shook her head embarrassingly and continued, "it's not that _**I'm **_questioning your authority or anything, but…"

"You think it's ridiculous that another criminal has been emitted into Arkham. You'd prefer that he was behind bars and not receiving therapy?"

Rebecca blinked and smiled again, "Yes. You seemed to take the words out of my mouth."

His eyes seemed to twinkle, something Rebecca found interesting. They were rather dull a lot of the time. She didn't think they were the twinkling type. "That is because people have been saying that to me all morning."

Rebecca was careful not to blush, but she could not stop her body from heating up profusely.

"Don't worry about it. I know _you _would not question my authority."

She swallowed a lump in her throat, "You're right there. It's not my place."

"Indeed it is not."

There was an awkward silence. Rebecca didn't know how to introduce the question that her sister had been pushing her about for the past week.

"Dr. Crane…"

"Do you know anything about the mind Rebecca?" He cut across her taking her by surprise.

"Well…no. Not much."

He seemed distant now. In his own world, "I appreciate the mind's control over the body…" Examining her face closely he continued, "It's why I do what I do."

She nodded. It was a polite way of telling her to mind her own business if she didn't know what she was talking about.

As he was about to leave she quickly blurted out, "Would you mind doing an interview?"

He simply blinked at her.

"My sister…she's a journalist and she's been trying to get a hold of you for some time to ask you a few questions for her newspaper."

Crane glanced over Rebecca's form again, while he thought. "I don't think so."

"Oh…" she suspected this. Usually Dr. Crane kept to himself, but she had told her sister that he had said maybe.

"It's nothing personal," he interjected, "It's just that… I'm no celebrity and her questions would be unkind. As you already know…people do not agree with my decisions."

"I understand."

With this last note he took his leave. She stared at him until he was out of view. 'What an extraordinary man' she thought.

*****

"Commissioner Gordon…" Alex had adopted an official tone, "all of Gotham are wondering…what will you do about the current Joker _**'situation**_?"

Jim Gordon was a very warm-hearted man, but while in Commissioner role, he had to remain stern and in control. "There isn't much we _can _do…you must understand. The Joker is a very difficult man to locate. He could be anywhere…and without knowing his location we can't take him into custody."

"So you'll turn to the masked vigilante perhaps?"

Gordon had to choose his next words carefully. Batman was also a wanted man. "We will turn to nobody…but if he manages to find the Joker and successfully bring him in, it will be appreciated."

Alex winked at him. He was a decent man with a wife and children. She was rooting for him really, even though she was pressing him for answers. It was just her job.

"And what of Arkham?"

He scratched his brown moustache and said, "well the security has been tightened even more so."

"I didn't think that were possible!"

Gordon gave a slight smile, "Well apparently it is."

Alex's eyes brightened, "And how exactly has the security been tightened?"

"That's strictly confidential I'm afraid."

"Aw…" she couldn't hide her disappointment. "I take it…you're still baffled at how the Joker did escape?"

"Baffled is a good way to put it," he smiled again.

"A master no doubt. Well… that's all the questions I have for you Commissioner. Thank you so much for your time."

She clicked the tape recorder off and placed it in her bag. "Fancy getting a coffee?"

Gordon glanced at his watch, "A quick one."

*****

Alex and Jim Gordon sat inside a local 'Starbucks' sipping their coffees and chatting comfortably.

Alex explained about having to put up a front when interviewing people and Gordon explained about having to put up a front when talking to **anybody**.

"You beat me," she smiled.

"I do."

If any outsiders seen this act they would think they were close friends, but in fact they only met that day.

"Oh wow! Look at the time. I have to go," he smiled at her, "Thanks for the coffee!"

Alex laughed, "You paid for it!"

"Did I?" he scrunched his nose up trying to remember, "Oh well… my memories gone. The company was nice."

"Likewise…" she watched him leave and sighed. She hadn't managed to get him to like her in _**that way**_. "Well he is married…"

She stood up and grabbed her coat. There was no point hanging around. She glanced around the shop wearily and then left. What she didn't know was that someone had been watching their performance from behind his newspaper.

**A short introduction =D Hopefully I've sparked your interest. I have plans for this fic. Thanks for reading xo**


	2. All is Determined

"Sorry!" Alex repeated for the eleventh time that day. "Seriously! I'm so sorry! How many more times must I say it?"

"Much more than _that_," Rebecca replied. "I can't believe you blew me off like that. Again."

Alex tried to grab her sister's arm, but she pulled away. "Look…" she stood in front of Rebecca and motioned with her hands that everything was calm.

Rebecca hissed behind her teeth. She wasn't going to hit her sister, but for some reason Alex was acting as if she was ready to explode. Rebecca was angry sure, but not **that **angry. If Alex would rather go out with a stupid boy than spend time with her then she could. She couldn't care anymore.

"But he's drop dead gorgeous Becca!" she sighed passionately, but snapped herself out of it immediately, "You should see him seriously! It's like the opportunity of a life-time!"

Rebecca continued to ignore her. All this talk about men, it just…aggravated her.

"You're still mad at me aren't you?" Alex's eyes were wide and worried. She bit her bottom lip nervously.

"I'm not mad." Rebecca was calm and cool. No way would she give Alex the attention that she was _clearly_ dying for.

Alex grinned awkwardly and hooked her arm around Rebecca's, forcing a link between them. They started walking down the street. "We could do something next weekend instead. A movie night! We'll order take-away and stay in our jim-jams all day! I know you'd like that!"

Rebecca felt her heart melting. She would like that. A lot. "Oh Alex…" she looked at her grinning sister. Alex knew she'd be pleased. She couldn't stay mad at her forever.

Rebecca saw in Alex's eyes certain cockiness. She'd make new plans for next weekend. She always did. She rarely ever stuck to the plans she made with her. There was always a new man she would be drooling over. What's worse is that she felt the need to talk to Rebecca about it the following day. But Rebecca didn't care. She _really _could not give a…

"Sorry Alex," her tone changed dramatically, "I've a lot of work to do next weekend. I purposely left it for next week as to go out this week, but you've just muddled that up."

"But you could do it this weekend…?"

"No I can't!" she raised her voice, "I don't just sit around waiting to go out with you. I've got other things I could be doing. Don't you think for one moment that I'll sit and do work because my ever-so loving sister decided to cancel out on me!"

"You **are **still mad at me. I knew it."

Rebecca snatched her arm away from Alex's grasp and clenched her fists with frustration, "I'm not mad at you! If you'd rather go fuck some stupid boy than spend time with me be my guest."

Alex's temper also intensified. This was so unfair; she thought her sister would understand. It really was a once in a lifetime opportunity. "Don't take your anger out on me just because you're jealous…"

"What? Jealous of a slut? Don't flatter yourself."

"Stop it!" Alex started shouting. People in the street were staring intensely now, but she didn't care. She _would_ be heard. "Just because men take a huge interest in me does NOT mean you have the right to treat me this way. You push away so many opportunities for a relationship that you've become cold and uncaring!"

"A relationship?!" Rebecca's voice had become high pitched, "They'd use me for sex and leave me to die for all they care! And for God's sake open your eyes! They take an interest in your body. Not a single one of those men you've slept with has bothered to see you again. So stop pretending you've got a chance for a 'relationship.' Stop pretending you're not a slut. You're not fooling anybody!"

With this last note, she stalked off leaving Alex standing alone and bewildered in the middle of the street; a magnet for the stares of people clearly bored with their own pathetic lives.

*****

"Y'know I haven't much care for this 'disguise' thing." The Joker tugged at the collar of the overly large grey coat he was wearing pathetically.

"Well it is the only way we can talk in broad daylight Joker. Understand that it will only be for a limited amount of time," the easily recognizable voice of Jonathan Crane replied.

The Joker flicked his tongue in and out as quickly as a lizard would, "Yes it better be. Spotted _anybody-ah _yet?"

"A few." Crane looked at his finger nails a few moments before meeting the clown's dark eyes, "how about you?"

"Nobody in particular. Honestly this whole city deserves to burn," he frowned out of slight anger, but he smiled again and continued, "Who have you been uh…_looking _at then?"

Dr. Crane gave a confident smirk and unfurled his fingers from a loose fist, "a few people from work."

"Anyone strike you in _part-icular_?"

"The assistant DA actually."

The Joker raised his eyebrows in surprise, "a bit uh… _danger-ous_ don't ya think?"

Dr. Crane smiled a fairly rare genuine smile. "I thought you liked it dangerous."

The carved face bared a large Cheshire-cat-worthy grin, "Well yes I do _Doct-or_."

"Besides," he stuck out his baby finger pointedly, "I don't think it'll take much effort to wrap her around my finger. Perhaps Scarecrow won't be needed for the capture."

"I like it Crane. Luring her into false security are we? Hmm… "

"Yes I am…Gordon won't know what hit him."

The Joker snapped his fingers, "Oh! Speaking of which! I saw him today with a rather _interesting _companion. A young woman; not his wife."

Dr. Crane frowned, "What were they doing?"

"Chatting, having coffee…what are the odds that our Commissioner is having an affair?"

"Not likely. He's too soft for that kind of thing. He'd feel bad for simply sitting with another woman never mind going out with her…"

"Well you **are **the expert! He left the poor girl on her own once he looked at his watch. Obviously on a tight schedule."

Dr. Crane grinned, "Or…he just wanted an excuse to leave. What did this girl look like?"

The Joker waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "Wouldn't you like to know. She was a bombshell, take it this way."

"Mmm… those kind of women don't interest me."

"And they call _me_ crazy."

*****

Rebecca was still so pissed at her sister the next morning. She was just sick of her gloating and boasting. Then she had the nerve to say she was jealous. Jealous? Her? Never!

She entered work in a foul mood. She didn't even bother saying 'hello' or 'good morning' to anybody.

"Good morning Rebecca!"

"How are you…"

"Lovely day today isn't it miss…?"

She stormed past her colleagues in a hurry. She just wanted to get to her office.

Harvey Dent stopped her in her rush, "Hey! Hey! Slow down, you're gonna kill someone!"

She shrugged the warm hand off her shoulder, "Sorry Harvey…I just…have some work to do."

He frowned, "I didn't authorize any reports."

"Um…it's from Friday."

"From Dean Walker's case?"

Rebecca rubbed her fingers together, "Uhr…yeah."

"I thought you finished it."

"Well I haven't…"

Harvey smiled and Rebecca had to turn her head. She hated when he smiled. It was so warm and caring and…she just didn't deserve it. "You left it on my desk remember…?"

"Oh yeah…" she looked at her shoes, "Look I'm just…feeling rough. Can I please go to my office?"

He lifted her chin up so they made eye contact, "Sure you can. Just don't try to lie again okay? You're really bad at it."

She forced a smile, "All right."

She walked away rather humiliated. She'd just made an ass out of herself. "Why is he so nice…?" she sighed while opening her office door.

"Who?"

Rebecca screamed and covered her mouth. Breathing slowly she muttered embarrassingly, "Dr. Crane…you…you scared me."

"How enchanting," his eyes seemed to twinkle again. They did that a lot while she was around. Rebecca carefully noted this.

She played with her hands a few moments before speaking, "I don't mean to be rude…but what are you doing in my office?"

Jonathan Crane leant against the desk and placed his hands on his legs coolly. His face held a pensive expression. Rebecca could feel heat building up around her collar. "Stop that…" she whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Oh nothing. I was just talking to myself. So why are you here?"

He placed his face into a blank expression before speaking, "To be perfectly honest with you, I can't come up with an excuse. I was merely trying to scare you."

Rebecca blinked at him and then burst into hysteric giggles. She took him by surprise. Did he say something funny?

"All right…all right Crane… well it worked," she flashed a goofy grin before making her way to her desk. She edged around him nervously and leant to get a pen from her drawer. He noted how she stepped around him and contently came to the conclusion that she didn't want him to think she liked him. Well… he thought it was obvious.

"Looking for something?"

"Yes…" she walked behind her desk and opened the drawers _that_ way.

"And what would that be…?"

She ruffled through some papers and removed several books, "my…pen. It's black with a green and gold stripe. My father sent it from Ireland."

Rebecca continued to open and close drawers with frustration, "Look…can you help me? This pen means a lot to me…"

"Found it." Dr. Crane held it between his thumb and index finger. His face had no expression, but he _was _feeling rather pleased with himself. He liked the way she stared in disbelief at him. He liked the way she held out her hand worryingly.

"Give it back." He liked the way she was demanding this. He liked it.

Dr. Crane gave the pen over to her and watched amusingly as she put it into her breast pocket. Close to her heart.

Rebecca didn't like the way he had her pen. Call her paranoid, but it was her lucky pen. In his fingers. She couldn't shake off the feeling that he stole it. He also said, _"I was merely trying to scare you." _Well he was scaring her now. She didn't like the way he was making her feel. She didn't like it at all.

"How long have you been in here…?" she questioned, "Dr. Crane?"

"Since about…" he looked at his watch, "eight…?"

Rebecca glanced at the clock on her wall, "Its ten now."

"Nicely observed."

He spotted her chest raise in annoyance. He had to contain a grin wanting to form on his face.

"So…" he began coolly, "out of interest…whom were you speaking of being so nice?"

"It doesn't matter," she sat down on her chair and started arranging paper; anything to look busy.

"Of course it does…" he walked around the desk so he was standing beside her, "I want to know who's gathered you're attention."

Rebecca looked up at him, but turned away when she couldn't make out his face due to the strong beam of sunlight shining through the window. It might have just been that spot…but something about him was so celestial…out of this world.

"Harvey Dent…has not gathered my attention," she placed numerous pages into her drawer and slammed it shut, "he's a nice guy, but I don't deserve him."

He looked at her curiously, not quite understanding what she meant. Was this self-pity he was hearing?

"I'll go now…" she picked up her handbag and stood to leave, but he held her shoulder and gently pushed her down onto her chair again.

"Don't let me throw you out of your own office Rebecca. I've a lot of work to do myself…" he left the room with grace, leaving Rebecca still sitting in her chair, bewildered.

*****

Alex decided to take her new man, Paul out for lunch seeing as he was taking her out for dinner over the weekend. This, she assumed was the first step to a relationship; treating each other equally. She would show her sister that she was perfectly capable in being committed and for a man to be committed to her. She could have a relationship if she really wanted to.

On the way to lunch, she just wanted to stop by somewhere for a few moments.

She dragged Paul, by his strong, tan hand up the stone steps and pushed him in the entrance. There on the marble floor stood a large crowd of people. Smack in the middle of these people, was just the man she wanted to talk to; Dr. Jonathan Crane.

Alex whipped out her pocket mirror and pouted her lips before whispering roughly to Paul, "You stay here."

She clicked her heels noisily while she power-walked towards the bumbling crowd. She took delight in forming a rather cunning plan to get the man on his own and to willingly talk to her. At this point, he was looking almost frantic trying to escape the flashes of the camera and the questions of the press probing his unpopular stature.

"Hey HEY!" she screeched pushing past the crowd, "stop that!" She reached the centre of the circle and turned her back on Crane, "Haven't you got anything else to do with your boring lives? Eh? Leave the guy alone. He's a **very** busy man…"

The crowd looked unsure, as did Crane. Who was this woman saving him from the press?

"Go on! Sca-daddle!" the crowd grumbled some insults before departing, leaving a beaming Alex alone with Dr. Crane.

"Now…" she turned her gaze on him, immediately forming her opinion. She had seen the guy on television, but never had she been so close to him before. His rimmed glasses, his black floppy hair and his pale tight skin was taken onboard as Alex came to the conclusion that he wasn't a big a nerd as she assumed when she saw him on television. There was something…endearing about his appearance.

"I finally get to meet you!"

Dr. Crane raised his eyebrows. What would a blonde-haired, green-eyed, low-cut t-shirted, short-skirt wearing woman want with him? "Do I know you?"

"Oh! We've never been introduced, but you know my sister Rebecca. I'm Alex Mc Mahon."

And so the rock fell. Dr. Crane stared at her feminine hand that was held out to him and took it in his own awkwardly, "Nice to meet you Miss Mc Mahon."

"So…how about that interview?" she smacked her lips hopefully.

Dr. Crane smiled which gave her the wrong message. Her eyes brightened, but he nodded his head negatively, "Of course not. I declined your interview offer as soon as your sister asked me."

Alex blinked at him before sighing. She rolled her tongue around in her mouth in annoyance and sucked in her lips, "Alright."

"Alex?" Rebecca appeared on the scene, her brow furrowed, "What are you doing here?"

"Well…" she gave a tight smile, "I was enquiring Dr. Crane about our interview."

Rebecca couldn't hold back a smirk, "But he said no."

"I know that now," Alex clicked her tongue impatiently, "But you said that the answer was a 'maybe.' If you told the truth perhaps I ought not have just made a right dick out of myself." She rummaged in her bag holding back her rage and found a packet of cigarettes. She thrust one in her mouth and lit it, then taking a long drag.

"I thought you gave up smoking…"

"Well fuck that," she motioned for Paul to come over.

He obeyed like a stray dog wanting food. Rebecca took in his appearance; he had quite long, brown hair, brown eyes, tan skin and a smile that would put the cheesy male models on T.V a run for their money. This was the once in a lifetime opportunity. She blew her off…for **this**.

"So who's this…." Rebecca started, but hesitated, "charmer?"

"Oh this is Paul. Paul, this is my delightful sister," Alex took another drag.

Rebecca stuck out her hand, but Paul merely winked at her. She frowned in disgust.

"He's half-Italian y'know…"

"Really? That's interesting…"

"Yeah…" Paul spoke, his voice was dull and without personality unlike his eyes, which held a sparkly look of hunger and lust. "My mom was Italian."

He snaked his arm around Rebecca's sister, causing her to giggle. Rebecca had to fight the vomit rising in her throat.

"We're late for lunch. T'was nice meetin' you Dr. Crane," she waggled her fingers and turned to leave.

"Catch ya later Rebecca," Paul winked again.

Rebecca and Dr. Crane watched them leave and then Jonathan abruptly spoke, "I also have to take leave. I'm late for an appointment."

He left her standing alone in the vastness of the high walls. He could feel her eyes following him, as he pushed open the door and turned the corner out of her sight. He looked about the street and then slinked into an empty alleyway. Leaning against the wall he sighed; this whole popularity situation was getting on his nerves. Scarecrow was just itching for a day out. He could feel it.

"Stressed-_ah_?" the jeering voice came from the shadows and with it appeared the man, dressed in his usual full outfit.

"Just impatient…" Dr. Crane turned his head and frowned, "Shouldn't you be more…discreet?"

The Joker gave a sadistic giggle, "But I'm _tired _of hiding. I want to give Gotham something to scream about."

He walked towards Crane menacingly, "Who was that hot-shot I seen you with?"

"The blonde?"

"Well her too, no I was referring to the brunette."

"Oh she's called Rebecca Mc Mahon. You'd know her as the assistant DA."

The Joker faked a gasp, "But you said you weren't into women like that."

He stared at the Joker blank-faced, "I'm usually not. This one's smart though, different and entertaining. Not like her sister…"

"The blonde one…?"

He nodded, "she's materialistic, a flirt and rather annoying."

The Joker slapped his thigh dramatically; "she's the one I saw with Gordon yesterday."

"See…that makes sense now. She's a journalist; possibly giving him an interview."

"Hmmm…" the Joker pondered for a moment and then spoke, a hint of danger in his voice, "reckon you could introduce us old friend ol' pal?"

Dr. Crane spotted the change of attitude and couldn't help a malicious smile forming on his lips aswell, "well…maybe. I could find out more about her for you. Who knows…maybe you've just assisted me in **my** plan."

"Really? Well…that's _very _interesting-_ah_." The Joker burst into fits of laughter and excitement and Dr. Crane the unfeeling doctor couldn't help but laugh a little aswell. The Joker had just pushed his plan ahead. Two sisters between two men; ironic that they will have something in common.

*****

**Ah! I'm excited? Are you…? I hope so. I've got so many plans for this fic. Thanks for reading Xo**


	3. Snatched

Rebecca took a firm hold of the neck in her hands and wrenched it. Her left hand gave a painful jolt in the process.

"You're supposed to use a bottle opener y'know," the naturally smooth voice reached her ears.

Rebecca grunted a reply; "I don't carry a bottle opener around with me."

"I do."

Rebecca glanced wearily at Dr. Crane and gave a nervous laugh, "You seem to be well equipped with what is needed."

"Meaning?"

She placed the bottle on her desk and sat back in her chair, folding her arms and blowing her hair out of her face. This was just not her week. At all.

Jonathan Crane raised his left eyebrow awaiting a response. Rebecca couldn't help but notice how his eyebrows were not very hairy: un-plucked like a man's should be, but not very hairy at all. She mentally slapped herself. What had gotten into her recently, she didn't know. "You seem to know what I need before I do and have what's needed in those pockets of yours."

He placed his hands in his pockets and wiggled his fingers inside, "They're not very big."

"Hmm…you must have bugged me or placed a camera in my office somewhere. Then you could fetch things before I even know. Or steal them." She clicked her tongue. It was hard to know whether or not she was joking. Honestly she didn't know herself. She wouldn't put it past him.

Walking towards her he put on his concerned face, "that's quite a serious accusation to place on someone."

"Yeah. 'tis. I was just joking I hope you know."

"I do now."

"Well good," she smiled.

He smiled back. There was something warm radiating from them both. Whether or not it was intentional was a different story. "If you don't mind, I'd like to turn on the television to catch the news. It starts at five doesn't it?" A certain someone told him to catch the five o'clock news. Something interesting would have happened no doubt, but he'd have to analyse the situation himself.

"Yeah it does. Sure work away."

Dr. Crane nodded and walked to the small T.V. in the corner of the room. It was sad that the fancy wide screens and plasmas had replaced these. They were really quite cute depending on which way you looked at it. He switched it on and stood back slightly to allow Rebecca a decent view.

"_News just in!"_

Both people in the room leant their head forward in interest.

"_If we thought the Joker couldn't cause any more chaos we were wrong. He's a mass murderer, escape artist and now he's added kidnapper to the list! Just today a poor girl of the name Alexandra Mc Mahon _**(Rebecca froze in her seat) **_was snatched from her own apartment by the Joker's men and likely the Joker himself."_

Dr. Crane forced his concerned expression onto his face as he turned to face Rebecca who was apparently rooted to her chair incapable of movement or speech. Forcing back a much-awaited grin, he turned his attention back to the T.V.

"_Now Alexandra Mc Mahon as we just found out is one of the journalists for the popular Gotham Times newspaper. She is also sister to the lovely assistant DA Rebecca Mc Mahon who apparently is still at work, perhaps even oblivious to the situation! We have Mike on the scene."_

The image changed to a small crowd of babbling people and cameras outside the building. Rebecca's shock was still etched on her face as she watched the news reporter open his mouth and close it. Her mind had turned itself off.

Dr. Crane however could hear everything being said perfectly clearly, _"Well I'm here outside her workplace which happens to be several other very important people's aswell: our DA, Dr. Crane and often enough…the mayor. Are they aware of the situation? Even more important is Rebecca aware?"_

He turned to find her sprinting out the door of her office with alarming speed. There was no time to turn the television off before he ran after her. He was no athlete by any means and he didn't reckon Rebecca was either, but she was flying. Practically.

Shocked faces blurred past as she sped down the stairs and into the main hall. Her blood pounded in her ears; she felt almost…crazed. This could not be true. This just could not be happening.

As she reached the middle of the grand hall she spotted the camera crew and what seemed like…billions of people standing outside. She felt the cool glass smack her palms hard, before loosing herself in flashes of white light.

"**Its her!"**

"**Rebecca!"**

"**Have you heard about recent events?"**

"**Rebecca! Over here!"**

"**A picture for news lovie?"**

"**Rebecca!"**

"**What kind of woman was your sister?"**

"**How has this affected you?"**

"**Rebecca! Look into the camera honey!"**

Rebecca felt a stinging pain as her hands made contact with the ground. She reached up and tried to push everyone away but she made contact with air only. Dazed, she tried to stand up, but her ankle gave way and she landed on her ass. The air seemed to enclose around her and suddenly she felt highly Chlosterphobic.

Hands reached out to her along with cries and shouts, but only one hand pulled her back onto her feet again. The tight hold on her shoulder constricted even more as she was pushed through the crowds. Even more blurred faces threw themselves at her. She ducked and held her hands up to her face as she was quickly ushered into open air.

Rebecca turned to her savoir: Dr. Crane but had no time to thank him. With her clearer vision she could see the crowds turning and advancing again.

"We need to get you out of here," the cool voice reached her ears. Rebecca nodded glumly.

The next hour flew by. By 6.05pm she was safe in her apartment. She could only remember getting into a taxi with Dr. Crane. She had no recollection of opening her apartment door with her key or sitting down on her sofa.

"Coffee?" Jonathan held a cup out to her and she nodded.

"Thanks."

He sat down beside her and watched her sip gingerly. He smiled when she burnt her top lip, "Ow…" she frowned.

"I think you'll find that it'll be hot."

"Yeah…" she placed the cup onto her coffee table and sighed. What a fucked up week it had been. He watched her put her head into her hands and a glimmer of pity flickered beneath his blank mask. He pushed it away.

"What am I supposed to do?" she was staring at him now. Her eyes were watery and full of lost hope. She was looking for advice; something, anything to go on. Right now she felt like such a failure. Her sister was a goner.

Dr. Crane thought for a moment. What could he tell her? "Lay low. The police will find your sister."

Rebecca noticed his lips turning up, but as soon as she had seen it his face was blank again. Did he realize what he had just said? "Gotham's Police force had recently been…disappointing."

He nodded, but continued, "don't worry, they'll find her." He was lying of course. Giving her false hope. The police force as had she said was disappointing. Commissioner Gordon was losing his touch, which is why this time was the best to strike. It is why the Joker chose to act when he did.

"What about Batman?"

Dr. Crane was brought back from his thoughts again, "I guess so." Another thing they both wanted: to lure the Batman out from his cave and then strike him down. What was so funny about the situation was that the woman beside him was looking for hope, but she was about to be hit down aswell. He just had to wait for the right moment to do so.

"What are you laughing at?" Rebecca was alarmed. Dr. Crane rarely laughed, but here he was laughing like a crazy man at something unknown in an upsetting situation.

"Oh nothing. Just a joke a friend told me a while back."

*****

Feeling her eyelids stuck together by both lack of sleep and tears from earlier, Alex widened them. It was dark. _Very dark_. **Too dark.** She couldn't make out a thing, which was frustrating enough. What was even more frustrating is that she couldn't remember how she got here.

She closed her eyes (not that it would make much of a difference) and tried to concentrate on the events: she remembered coming home from lunch with…with…

"Ah what's his name?!" she muttered angrily. "Phillip? No…Sean. Sean? No…no… it was … Paul! Yes that's it. The Italian." What was wrong with her? Her brain refused to cooperate when she tried to think. Her head as starting to hurt; she could feel her temples throbbing. She winced. There was a wild moment when she thought she was drugged. Maybe Paul had put something dodgy into her lunch when she wasn't looking? However, that did not explain where she was. Paul's apartment?

She was leaning against something. A wall. She ran her hands along it until she could reach no further without standing up. She didn't want to get onto her feet. The everlasting dark was disorientating and ominous. Not to mention the feeling in her gut that there was something out there. Someone.

"Hello?" she whispered hoarsely; her throat was dry from overindulging in wine earlier that day. She needed something to drink. Badly.

"Is anybody there?" the uncomfortable feeling of being watched increased. She bit her lip and closed her eyes again. '_Think Alex. Think.' _

She heard a clicking sound and opened her eyes again with fear. She tried to scan the dark, but even being alert did nothing for her senses. She was still as blind as a bat.

"Hello?" She repeated. Again she heard a clicking sound, proving that she had not imagined it. Then came a low humming sound. Her breathing sped up and her heart pounded in her chest so much that it hurt.

Her eyes shut closed quickly as a white light blinded her. _'This is it girl. This is the end.' _ Then came a voice; a voice that awakened her from her frightened state.

"Why hello my beauty!"

That voice.

_Alex arrived home from her hmm…how to put it… __**interesting **__day. She was drunk. Not to be blunt…but she was blind drunk and it was what? Only four o'clock? _

_It felt like later. She had spent the whole day with him. It was __**magical. **__She couldn't wait until Saturday to go out to dinner with him. _

"_Screw you Rebecca!" she flipped a finger to a photograph on the table. It was taken when she had stayed in Rebecca's for a night. They were both in their pyjamas. Alex had her arm around her sister and was puckering up for a sloppy kiss whereas Rebecca was trying to pull away from her whilst laughing. They looked so happy. It was sickening to Alex. _

_She knocked it off the table as she clumsily stalked past. She reached up to her 'secret stash' but her hands just made contact with dust. "Wait what?" She patted around and then climbed on top of the counter to get a look herself. The whole top of the cupboards was empty. _

_With a blank expression on her face she climbed down again and made her way to her bedroom to strip herself of her 'date clothing.' She stopped in her tracks as she noticed five bottles of wine and two of beer sitting on her bedside table; her secret stash. _

_She rushed into her bedroom, banging her elbow off the door in the process. "Owie!" she rubbed it pathetically and jumped onto her bed, crawling to the bottles._

_She grabbed the closest one to her and shook it. It was empty. She then took the next one and shook it; it was empty aswell. She grabbed desperately at the bottles, turning them upside down and throwing them behind her. They seemed to all be empty. _

_Then when all seemed lost she found a bottle of beer that was half full. She downed it quickly. __**'I don't remember drinking these last night.' **__She looked at the bottles lying on the floor, __**'And I would have seen them this morning when I was getting dressed.' **__Something wasn't right._

_Alex picked the bottles miserably off the floor and made her way to the kitchen. Dumping the bottles on the counter, she collapsed onto a chair. It'd be an early night for her no doubt. _

"_Ooooh…" she rubbed her eyes wearily. She could feel her body sinking into the chair. It was so comfortable… Her arms felt like lead and her head lolled back. She could sleep right here, right now. She closed her eyes and sighed._

"_Why hello beautiful!" a drawling voice slithered its way into the room. Alex's eyes snapped open and she jumped out of her chair like skin on hot coals. _

_She could see the silhouette of a man standing at her doorway. A purple silhouette, with a white face and black eyes… Her legs started shaking and she was afraid that she was going to collapse. Blinking her eyes, she looked again, but he remained a blur. _

_She shot her hand onto the counter to balance herself. Her eyelids started to close, but this was not the time to sleep. Shaking her head vigorously to try to stay awake, she managed to increase the dizziness that had taken over her. _

_Was she really __**that **__drunk?_

_She rounded her mouth to try to form some words, but her lips were numb. Her legs shook even more causing her to groan slightly. Keeping her balance was highly difficult. _

"_I said hello." The voice sounded annoyed. It sighed and the figure whipped out something. Something with a metallic slicing sound; something silvery in colour. _

_Alex's hands started shaking, but from fear not drink. Only one man wore a purple clad suit and makeup. The signature switchblade proved it. The Joker._

"_Its not nice to uh…stare…"_

_Alex bolted, ignoring her tired body. "No!" she tried to scream, but it came out as a whisper. She ran into her living room, nearly tripping over a shoe she had left lying on the floor._

"_Oh cat and mouse! I love this game!" he walked slowly. There was no need to hurry. She'd run, but in her current state it was all too easy. _

"_Come out mousy! Come out to play!" then came a horrific laugh; one which everyone had heard on television more than enough times. _

_Alex panted like a dog. Her body was far too tired to run anymore. "Damn…" she whispered. She was never going to drink again._

_Looking for a place to hide was difficult, but she bet on under the sofa. It was risky, but the Joker ought not to look there. What idiot hides under their sofa?_

_Footsteps. Her breath caught in her throat. They got louder and louder until a pair of feet landed in front of her face. Tears leaked out of her eyes. Why her? What did she do? _

_She clasped her hand over her mouth. She couldn't help the sobbing sounds escaping from her throat. She was too numb. _

"_Come out where ever you are!" The footsteps walked around the sofa. Alex watched them and then took her chance. She split into the kitchen and in the direction of the door._

_Everything flew past her face; she had no way of seeing how far away the door was, but she figured she was nearly there. The Joker stared curiously at her stumbling. If he was correct in his assumptions…she wouldn't last much longer._

_Suddenly her chin made contact with the floor and everything blacked out._

Alex had no time to react before a leather hand grasped her face in a viselike grip. Nails dug into her face and a scarred scowl threw itself into her face. Her eyes widened as she scanned her eyes across the marred flesh and tried to imagine the terrors of how the scars were made.

The mouth opened and saliva that was gathered around the corners collected in strings, "I said _hello-ah_."

Alex swallowed a terrified lump in her throat. What? He expected her to reply?

"Is it the scars?" he made eye contact with her. She felt like she was being stripped down and tied to a chair naked so thousands of men could point at her and laugh. His brown orbs felt so powerful, like he could see straight into her mind and take what he wanted.

"N-no…" she stammered between breaths.

"No?" he mocked, "then what? Hmm?" He let go of her face and stood up so he towered high above her.

Vomit rose in her throat and into her mouth. She tried to swallow it, but it was forcing itself out. She turned to the side and emptied her stomach contents; the alcohol that had been in her system all day.

"W-what did…you g-give me?" her chest was heaving and her head was throbbing.

The Joker rocked backwards and forwards on his heels contemplating whether it was necessary to tell her, "powdered Triazolam. Usually…it takes a while to affect you, but you were already drunk so…" he shrugged.

"How?"

The Joker grinned, "Well first off I emptied out your other drink to make you think you think you had drunk it the night before…then I mixed it into half a bottle of beer."

Ingenious.

"Side effects include vomiting, nausea, fatigue," he counted using his fingers, "oh and headaches if beyond the dose of 0.5mls."

She glanced at him from her crouched position on the floor; saliva and leftover vomit stringing from her mouth, her breathing ragged.

"I gave you 1.2mls."

Alex fell back against the wall again and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She looked at the sticky substance that had been wiped onto her hand and nearly vomited again, "Ew…" she wiped it on the wall desperately. It smelled disgusting.

The Joker watched her amusingly as fresh tears formed in her eyes. Her lip was turned down with disgust as she moaned and tried to remove the moist sticky feeling on the back of her hand.

She stopped when she heard some low chuckles emitting from the Joker. What a sick bastard; laughing at her uncomfortable situation. "Wh-what?" She tried to sound annoyed, but her words came out barely audible. She tried again, "Wh-what's funny?"

"You," the Joker said simply.

Alex felt a glimmer of anger. What the hell did he want with her? What was he doing just staring? "Look you crazy bas-…"

In a flash Alex felt something sharp digging into the flesh of her lower lip, cutting off her speech. The Joker had his face up against hers again and with each syllable he dug the switchblade in deeper and deeper, "I'm. Not. Crazy."

Alex was speechless. How could someone be so happy one moment and frightening the next? "I…I…"

He patted her cheek roughly, "Aw shush shush shush shush!" His tongue darted in and out of his mouth, coating his lips with fresh moisture. "Look _here-ah… _you're going to be uh… throwing up a lot in the next few hours. I'll leave ya' to it and come back later."

Alex kept her eyes on the glinting metal that wasn't giving up any pressure on her lower lip. She could taste the metal.

"Oh and…" he deepened his voice; something that could have scared the shit out of anybody, "Don't be _screaming_." With his eyes holding malice, Alex knew she couldn't scream or else she'd be killed.

The Joker stood up and admired the frightened expression on Alex's face before he contently walked away.

She watched him leave and then sucked on her bottom lip. It was stinging like hell. The metallic taste from his switchblade was still in her mouth. No…it was the blood dripping from the small gash that she could taste. This on top of vomit was not a nice taste. Not a nice taste at all.

Luckily for her the Joker left the light on. She looked around the room; there were boxes of junk everywhere: clothes, toys, cutlery, and teapots, books and even DVD players. Glancing a quick eye she noticed large tin cans in the corner and several wires. She seemed to be in a storeroom. These were obviously things that he had taken from his victims apart from the tin cans. No…they were explosives of some sort.

Alex hid her head in her knees. Now _she_ was being stored.

*****

**Sorry it's been a while. Its exam time ******** and I've been busy busy busy! It might be another while until I update. Well anyways what did you think? Xo**


	4. This Clown

Alex continued to heave her stomach contents through her mouth. Her insides were burning aswell as her throat, which was as raw as skin, which had been chiseled with a saw. Her head was rolled to the side and her arm wrapped around her sore stomach.

"Oh god…" she sobbed. She felt so embarrassed spurting pools of vomit onto the floor of the storeroom; not to mention alone. She was doomed: nobody could possibly find her here.

The Joker left two of his men to keep watch and keep watch they did. Several other men had joined them; they laughed and 'whooped' every time Alex threw up on the floor. The camera was tilted at the perfect angle, to catch the look on her face.

"Something _uh_…_funny _boys?" there was a sudden silence. Each man in the room eyed each other nervously, except the Joker who had a playful smile on his face.

"No boss," the dominant of the pack had spoken.

~*Flash*~

The Joker had him in a vice-like grip, his blade at his throat. "Y'know what I hate more than Batsy?" he growled. The man kept his eyes frozen to the blade and his face no longer held the confident smirk it wore a few moments ago. He swallowed. "_Liars._"

He met the Joker's eyes and took a sharp intake of breath. They remained frozen there for several minutes, but when the Joker was satisfied that he had scared him enough, he released him. Glancing at the other men he tutted, "shouldn't you all be uh… _doing-ah _something?" They scampered.

"Well well well!" he rolled back and forth onto his heels, "still sick hmm?"

"Yes Boss."

"Fetch me a glass of water Tim-tom."

The man with the name Thomas scurried off, leaving the Joker alone with a rather nervous-looking goon.

"S'your name?" the Joker enquired casually.

"M-Mathew. S-sir."

A flicker of amusement appeared in the Joker's eyes. Nobody called him 'sir,' but he liked it. This Mathew boy had a babyish face and wasn't heavily built. He couldn't have been sixteen or more. The name 'sir' enquired a certain power, like a teacher or principle.

"Mathew…Mathew…Mathew…"

The boy was almost trembling; hearing his name roll out of the Joker's mouth was disturbing enough. Being as close to him as to be able to touch him was even more so. He could almost see the Joker's switchblade itching in his gloved hand.

"D'ya like her?" Mathew blinked and followed his gaze to the girl on the television screen. "And uh…no lies eh?"

He nodded. He'd have to choose his words very carefully, "W-well sir…I t-think she'd be pretty without the v-vomit."

The Joker let out a giggle. This guy had a sense of humor. He liked that. "Look Mathew…" he wrapped his arm around his shoulders, to Mathews utmost shock, "let's be friends."

"Your water Boss." Thomas had returned and when he saw what the Joker was doing, his jaw almost dropped off.

"Ah…thanks Timmy," he took the water from him and made his way to the door of the storeroom.

Thomas glanced at the boy, "What the fuck did you say to him?"

Mathew shrugged, "I…I…don't know!"

The Joker closed the door quietly behind him, not that it mattered. His entry into the room was obvious. Alex stared at him through her red-ringed eyes and her breathing quickened.

As usual he approached slowly, biding his time. When he was finally within a foot in front of her the anticipation heightened. "Water?" He held out a glass full of water to her.

Alex wasn't sure if he was being serious or was doing this to shun her even more. When she reached out a shaky hand and he didn't pull it away, she snatched it quickly off him and downed it. It then occurred to her that he might have put something _in _the water. Widening her eyes she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She felt too humiliated to say anything.

Cocking an eyebrow he got down onto his honkers. He was so close to her face now. So close…

"There wasn't anything in your water," after saying this she still looked unconvinced. "I'm a man of my word." Knowing better now that his temper was quick, she decided to act convinced. She nodded, secretly praying that he was right.

Braving herself she finally asked, "So…t-that's why you came b-back? To give me some water?"

He took off one of his gloves. The leather snapped back and hit his arm with a loud slap. It sounded painful, but it seemed the Joker was immune to something as petty as pain. Alex doubted that he even felt it hit him. He dropped the glove onto the floor and Alex winced. Her mind was set in survival mode and all she could see was his intentions to hurt her.

The Joker placed a hand on her forehead, but she tried to jump back and hit it off a wall. "Owie…" Her chest rose and fell rapidly. The Joker watched it with only slight amusement.

"I'm not going to hurt you yet."

_Yet? _

"Mmm…" he narrowed his eyes and reached his hand for her forehead again. She couldn't escape his touch this time as she was right up against the wall.

Alex must admit, it was awkward. The Joker's hand must have been clammy from the tight leather gloves he always wore, but she couldn't tell. She hadn't stopped sweating since she got here. She could however feel his fingers just above her eyebrows and knowing that his hand was there was very uncomfortable.

"W-what are you- "

"Shush shush shush shush. Your temperature is still high. Maybe I ought to get my uh…_doctor friend _out to see you. Mmm?" He patted around with the back of his hand. "Yeah…" he murmured.

The Joker stood up to leave.

"Where are you going?" Alex may have been shit-scared of him, but she didn't want to be left alone again.

His mouth twitched slightly at the edges, "To make an _appointment-ah_."

Alex watched him leave and then averted her gaze to the glove he left on the ground. She reached a shaky hand out to it, but snapped it back as if she had been burned. Then she stuck out her leg and kicked it away. It didn't travel far, but at least if she leaned her head back like this…it was out of view.

*****

It had been two days since the Joker kidnapped Alexandra McMahon and quite frankly Rebecca couldn't sink any lower, annoyingly to a certain doctor. He had tried to comfort her and ease her out of her guilt, but she just wouldn't budge.

He sighed when he thought about it. He thought the Joker would help him with his plans, but he guessed the Joker was right. Never make plans. Dr. Crane never for one moment thought that Rebecca would be in the state she was in. He suspected worry of course, but not this guilt.

"_Cher Doctor_! How amazing that we run into each other so frequently. Bit of a _co-ink-i-dink _eh?"

"Indeed," he rubbed his forehead and sighed again.

The Joker noted, "Hey Crane…just recently you've been well… _stressed? _Why don't you just do it already?"

Dr. Crane gave a small smile, "I want it to be perfect."

"Well if you ask me, she's causing you a lot of unnecessary negativity. Just…go with the flow! It causes me great pain to see you in such… well… pain!"

"Really?" Jonathan queried.

The Joker gave a small chuckle, "Well no. I had my fingers crossed. Really though…get a move on!"

"Is that all you came to me to do? Give me a pep talk?"

"No no!" the Joker lowered his voice slightly, "my project's feeling a bit…sick. She's got a fever or something to that effect."

"How much Triazolam did you give her?"

"Over twice the amount required," he gave a hearty chuckle.

"You seem rather pleased with yourself. I don't know what I can do."

The Joker frowned. Dr. Crane's whole attitude was just…disappointing. "Come _along-ah _and look at her. I'm sure you can do uh…something."

"Why do you care Joker?" this question was throbbing inside Dr. Crane's mind for several minutes.

"I don't." The Joker patted Jonathan's face patronizingly, "how can I have any fun with her if she's throwing up all the time?"

"You're missing a glove."

"Yeah…" he flipped his hand back to front almost as if he was examining it. "I'll get it back later…"

An awkward silence followed. In which they both decided it would be best to take leave. The Joker headed one direction and Dr. Crane followed. He wanted to get this over with.

*****

Alex didn't know how long she sat in the room alone, but she knew what it felt like. _Days_. She was feeling very disorientated and tired, but she couldn't sleep. Her body wouldn't allow it. Every so often she'd hear a door slam or people faintly laughing. Each time she heard a noise her eyes snapped open and started manically scanning the room. She knew she was being ridiculous and that she should at least get some rest, but she couldn't trick herself into thinking herself as safe. Her mind was set in survival-mode. Still.

"Hey gorgeous!"

Alex's eyes and ears snapped open for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. Her vision was blurry, but she could make out the Joker's purple stature and his white face with dark eyes. He had a guest it seemed. "Great…" Alex muttered darkly. Someone else had come to watch the show.

"May I introduce my doctor friend? I'm sure you're ah…heard of him."

Dr. Crane stepped forward to examine Alex. She was a mess. Alex stared at the approaching figure with utmost distaste.

The Joker walked quickly over to Alex and bent down. "Alex…" he hissed, "this is Dr. Crane. He's here to help you. Be a good girl."

The name rang bells in Alex's mind. Dr. Crane was a familiar name. The man examined her face closely. Her eyes focused on him. He had distinguishable blue eyes behind a pair of smart glasses, which sat neatly on his slightly ridged nose. His face was a pasty white.

"Oh my god!" she gasped. Jonathan ignored her and made push a thermometer into her mouth.

She spat it out angrily much to the shock of Dr. Crane. "I need you to hold this in your mouth a few moments Miss. McMahon."

"Don't even speak to me! You…you creep!" The Joker pondered a moment. Of course they knew each other. He had forgotten and never thought of the consequences.

"Get away from me! DON'T TOUCH ME!" she started screeching at the top of her voice, "you prick! KEEP THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"

Dr. Crane sighed and turned to the Joker who was standing in the rather comic position with his hands over his ears. He heard a high slapping sound and felt a pain in his left cheek. The Joker gave a sly smirk.

She reached out to slap him again, this time much harder, but he caught a hold of her wrist and glared. He pushed her hands away and stood up. "I can't help her like this."

The Joker nodded and made his way to Alex. She backed away terrified, but he caught a hold of her wrists and pulled her so that his lips were against her ear. He spoke so low, that it was only audible to Alex, "What did I say to you? _Be good. _I wouldn't call that behavior good."

It was so patronizing, but still frightening. She wriggled, but he kept his tight grip on her. "Hey hey. Stop that or I'll have to carve that pretty flesh up."

She froze with fear, but her heart was still hammering in her chest. The Joker stood up and glanced at Dr. Crane to give him an all-clear signal. He blinked amused at Alex. Fear was something that intrigued him so.

After a few moments he gave a smirk and bent to examine her again. Alex tried to be as still as she could, but his face was bringing her blood to the boil. The bastard was a friend of the Joker. Suddenly an image of Rebecca flashed in her mind.

"H-how's my sister?" she finally choked out.

Jonathan looked at her for a moment, wondering if he should bother telling her. "She's…a wreck." Alex simply stared at him as he continued talking, "she's off work for a while."

Alex couldn't believe her ears. Her sister was grieving? "Y-you mean…she's sad?"

He placed the thermometer in her mouth and thankfully this time it stayed in. "No its more guilt…I think." He took the thermometer out and glanced at her temperature. "43 degrees…" he tutted and stood up.

"I'll leave some penicillin and some alkaline medicine. She's got a temperature and her stomach acids are reacting badly to the sleeping drug. Its just best for her to rest and to drink plenty of fluids." He opened his brief case and took out a bottle filled with a pink substance, "She takes a tea-spoon of this twice a day. Hopefully this will have cleared in two or three days."

The Joker showed no sign of understanding. He just whipped out a wad of dollar bills and handed them to him. Dr. Crane pocketed them and gave a small glance back to Alex, who was looking distraught at him leaving her alone with the Joker.

He walked out the door flashing a clear cocky grin before closing the door after him.

There was an eerie silence. All that Alex could hear was the pounding of her heart in her ears. She didn't know what he was smiling at, but she did know one thing; her sister was in danger.

*****

That night Jonathan stayed late at work. He had taken several pictures of his scarecrow mask; pictures which would chill Rebecca to the core. There were several pictures of it on him, and a few of it alone on a mannequin. He had spray painted the mannequin black and the eyes yellow. Yes…this would be truly terrifying for the poor girl. He almost felt sorry for her. _Almost._

He was feeling rather cheery, in fact he couldn't stop himself whistling a tune while he created his collage. Snipping and gluing, snipping and gluing…he was finally finished. He folded the page inwards and stuck two halves of scarecrows face on the opening. He then covered it with wrapping paper; clowns (courtesy of the Joker) and wrote in silver pen, _Miss Rebecca McMahon, 46 Shallowdrive. Gotham city. _

Dr. Crane admired the thin package and then left his office with it. He passed a mailbox on the way home.

*****

**Sorry its short, but at least I got it updated. I'll try and have the next chapter sooner. Thanks for reading. Y'know reviews make my day =] Xo**


	5. Two' Alike

Dr. Crane rapped on Rebecca's door. It was two o'clock in the afternoon and boy did he feel good about himself. Rapping on the door again and then standing back he considered that she wasn't in, or hadn't got out of bed yet? _'Or is too frightened to open the door?' _He smirked.

"Who's there?" Rebecca called from her bedroom wearily.

"Dr. Jonathan Crane. Some might refer to me as 'the nerdy Hitler' or 'ill opinionated bas-"

She yanked the door open and breathed a sigh of relief, "come in Jonathan…" He took a step forward, "Hurry! Quickly so I can shut the door!"

"What's the rush?" he coolly asked once she had slammed the door shut. He observed the plentiful locks on the door with much amusement.

"Just…" she gave a nervous smile, "nothing." She beckoned for him to follow her into the kitchen, "coffee?"

"No thank you. You're avoiding the subject…tell me what's wrong."

She sat down and sighed. She placed her head in her hands, "nothing…just some stupid prank's got me all wound up…"

"A prank?" he cocked an eyebrow, feeling slightly insulted.

"Yes…a stupid ill-minded prank. I can't believe how much I'm freaking out over it!"

"Show me it."

"Show you what?"

"This 'prank' you're talking about."

Rebecca considered it for a moment. What would the harm be in showing him? "Alright…wait right here." She left the room and Jonathan took this chance to study the kitchen. It was quite small, but very modern. It suited her. The walls were a warm cream and the floor was black marble. There were all sorts of different kitchen instruments on the black granite counters. She had laid out teacups in a line, which ranged in different colours. She seemed very organized.

Rebecca approached her bed, which she had left the large piece of card onto. She stared at the yellow eyes on the front and reached a hand out gingerly. Snapping it into her hand quickly, she rushed out of the room, not wanting to be alone for a second longer.

"Here." She briskly returned to the kitchen and thrust the large piece of card at him. He observed it closely and with false interest. Opening the flaps, he revealed the many pictures he had taken of his mask, on and off the black mannequin and him. A thought occurred to him…

"God!" he gasped.

"What?" Rebecca frowned and peered over his shoulder.

Dr. Crane closed the card and set it face upwards on the breakfast table. "This Rebecca…is no prank."

"How do you mean?"

He touched her shoulder gently with his hand, "don't you know who Scarecrow is?"

She shook her head. "Really?" he faked astonishment.

Rebecca looked at him and tried to determine if he was mocking her, "no…look…" she snatched it off the table and threw it into the bin much to Dr. Crane's disappointment (all his nights work…binned) "I showed this to you against my better judgment. I'd appreciate it if you stopped taking the piss out of me."

He was starting to feel frustrated, "I'm not taking the- look! Scarecrow's the newest of Gotham's…um…"

"Loony's?"

"Not quite. He specializes in fear, using some a drug to place the victim into a weak state of mind and he lusts their fear. Their vulnerability…" Rebecca stared awestruck at Dr. Crane as words about his alter ego rolled out of his mouth. "What's worse…. is that he seems to have a connection to the Joker." He kicked the bin a little too aggressively.

Rebecca swallowed the lump in her throat trying to fool him that she was not afraid, "how come I haven't…heard of him before?"

It was a question he was hoping she didn't ask. "Well…as I said he's a new edition."

"Do the police know about him?"

"Yes…well I think so. If they don't they will soon."

"How do you figure?"

Dr. Crane leant in close and he placed his voice at a low volume, "I fear…that now since he's made a threat against you he's going to make an appearance very soon."

Rebecca refused to believe it. She'd like to ask Dr. Crane where he got his information from, but she was afraid to. "What does he want with me?" she asked finally, "I mean…why me?"

Crane scratched his chin in pretend thought. He shrugged, "Maybe it's because you're the assistant DA and you'd be close to Harvey Dent. Perhaps its because it was easy to target you due to your sister's kidnapping."

She looked at him anxiously. She really hadn't known him that long. Was he pulling her leg?

"You have to trust me."

She nodded. Why would Dr. Crane do something like it? He wasn't the sort. "So…the Joker's got my sister and now this guy wants me?" she sighed, "What do I do?"

"Well you can't stay here…"

Rebecca snapped her eyes to his gaze, "Why not?"

"It'll be too obvious. No doubt, he'll have acquired your address especially since he posted that in your letterbox."

She placed her head in her hands and gave a strangled sigh, "Good point." She looked up at him. Tears were threatening to spurt, but she mustn't let them. She was a strong person…she had to be- "Where will I go? I've nowhere to go." She placed her head in her hands again and mumbled again, "I've nowhere to go."

"How about your sister's?" his eyes held that rare twinkle again.

"What?" she frowned with slight frustration, "Why the hell would I go there?"

"She's not in and nobody is likely to disturb the apartment."

Rebecca opened her mouth to protest and closed it again. What he was saying was perfectly reasonable. She knew her way about the house, she knew where Alex kept the spare key and she wouldn't be disturbed. It was the perfect place to go. There was just one thing that would stop her, "But…that's taking advantage of her stuff while she's not here."

"You're not taking advantage of it. You have no other place to go. I'm sure she'd understand." Rebecca still looked uncertain. "Scarecrow won't know you're there nor will he have to know. Don't go out. Stay indoors until he's caught. I'll visit you, bring you fresh supplies of food." He placed his hand on her arm, "You'll be safe."

"What about work?"

"I'll explain the situation personally to Harvey Dent. He'll have a substitute assistant in time for the courts."

Rebecca was astounded by the turn her life had taken in a mere hour, but mostly by Dr. Crane's attitude. Never would anyone she knew believe how kind he was being. _'He must really like me,' _she thought, chuffed.

To Crane's discomfort she suddenly pulled him to her and hugged him. She was a tad shorter so she couldn't see his face; he had his arms hanging loosely by his sides, unsure of what to do with them and he glanced around the room nervously, before awkwardly patting her back.

*****

"This is it?" Dr. Crane asked.

"Yeah," Rebecca patted the door of apartment 15 until she was satisfied that it was still intact. She wondered how the Joker got in, if it was him who kidnapped her.

She ran her fingers along the edges until she found a small crack. She gave a slight smirk and lifted large pieces of broken wood out of the door and revealed a small hole. She reached in a forefinger and scraped out the key, which then fell to the floor. She then picked it up and placed the scrapings back into the door to cover the hole.

Crane was impressed, "She hides the key…_in _the door."

"Precisely."

"And nobody would think of looking there?"

"Not a soul." He could not keep the impressed look off his face and Rebecca laughed, "She's not as stupid as she seems," she pushed the key into the door and turned it, "In fact…she can be rather…cunning," the door gave a click. Rebecca pushed the door open with her foot, "and manipulative."

Rebecca stepped inside and sighed when she saw how the apartment looked. She had shoes lying all over the floor and a chair was tippled upside down. Rebecca took another step forward and she noticed something glimmering in the corner of her eye. She looked to the left and noticed (***counting***) seven empty bottles of alcohol (five wine and two beer) scattered across the counter. She moaned, embarrassed in front of Jonathan, "Please excuse this mess…"

He gave a sympathetic nod and stepped into the apartment aswell.

A thought occurred to her, "won't the police come in for evidence and that kind of thing?"

"No. They're finished."

"How do you know?"

"I'm tied with the right people Rebecca." He closed the door over and looked at the lock, "Not even broken…" He walked towards the window. As he suspected, it was not shattered. It was also not big enough to fit through. He'd have to inquire the Joker about his entrance next time he sees him.

Rebecca walked to the fridge and opened it. There was a block of cheese, some eggs (which would definitely be off judging by the smell they were emitting) and orange juice. "I'm going to need to go to the shops…" she sighed, "there's nothing edible here."

"I'll go."

"Can't I go?" she smiled, "It's not like he's going to be right outside."

"Well we just don't know, do we?" Crane was slightly annoyed at her making assumptions about his character, "I'd rather I knew where you were, safe."

She gave a frustrated sigh, "alright." He made his way towards the door, "Wait! You're going now?"

"Yes."

Rebecca gave an anxious look around, "why now?"

"Aren't you hungry?"

"Yeah, but I can just order Chinese or something…and you can go tomorrow." She gave a hopeful smile, but Dr. Crane seemed frustrated. "What?"

"You can't order Chinese! Nobody is to know that you're here!"

"But…"

"But nothing! I won't be long, I promise." Rebecca didn't like being left alone, but she had no choice. She watched him leave with a feeling of utmost anxiety stuck in her throat. She looked at the key which was still in her hand and then placed it in her pocket. What to do to kill the time…

When she heard the entrance door close, she rushed to the window and spotted Dr. Crane on the pavement. He seemed rather frustrated for some reason. Well it wasn't her fault…she was the one this Scarecrow was looking for, not him. What other way did he expect her to act?

He glanced up and caught her eye. She gave a slight smile and a little wave. He motioned for her to step away from the window and she complied, but the moment he turned the corner, she looked out the window again from mere boredom.

"How irritating…" she leant on her elbows on the windowsill. She whipped out her mobile phone and scrolled through her contacts, she paused at Alex's which was the first one and then again at Harvey's. _'Don't chance your arm…' _she threw her phone onto the sofa, _'You can't text anybody.' _Or could she? It's not like Harvey Dent is working for the Scarecrow? She bit her lip. But he would notify the police straight away. She best leave it to Johnathan, that way he will knwo the details. Dr. Crane said on the way here, that the police would be informed soon enough, besides would they even believe him? Wow...Dr. Crane was really trying! She felt a warm glow, but looking around the room again caused it to deminish.

"Damn I'm bored already!" she grabbed her phone off the sofa and decided that she would text Alex. She's hardly going to have her phone on her anyways, but it'd be nice just to tell someone…

"_I no this is pointless but I just wnted 2 c if u had ur phone on u. Ever heard of a guy named Scarecrow? Well Crane says tht he's after me. Ive 2 stay in urs so he doesn't no where I am. God I hope ur okay. The Joker better be treatin u nicely. The police r tryin their best hun, but I no its not enough. Its so frustrating that I cant help. If I knew where u were id go down and kick his balls. I miss u…xo"_

She read it over and over and then hit send. What are the chances that she has her phone? _Zero. _Sighing, she tossed her phone back onto the sofa and turned on the TV. She was very distracted and kept glancing at her mobile even though she knew she would get no reply.

"Oh Alex…where are you?"

*****

**AN: The Joker's Lair.**

The Joker and Alex were in the same room alone in complete silence for a few uncomfortable minutes. It was tense. She could feel his eyes on her face, on her body…but she could not retaliate by staring back.

There was a slight vibrating noise and the Joker nearly jumped, forgetting the phone that he had in his pocket. He whipped out the pink mobile phone, looking quite camp.

"That's my-" Alex blurted out.

"Shush shush shush." The Joker was reading a text. It was fairly amusing, this much Alex could tell because he suddenly burst out laughing, dropping the phone on the floor. It cracked, causing Alex to cry out. She didn't care about the fear anymore; she had to see if it was alright.

She rushed to the phone and nearly cried when she saw how broken it was. The screen was cracked and the battery had snapped in half. "Who was it from? What did it say?" she looked at him with anger.

The Joker however, seemed preoccupied. He would not stop laughing. In fact, one would not even consider it as laughing. It was more like he was violently clearing his throat of mucus that had built up while he was in Arkham. For the on watcher, Alex, it was disgusting.

This clown was beginning to annoy her. He snatched her from her home, kept her in a storeroom like she was nothing but an ill-used object. He kept her phone in his pocket and then read her text. Now…her phone was precious to her, along with her text messages. Those were personal. Then he dropped it and it broke. He laughed at whatever was said in the text. Frankly, Alex couldn't think of another thing he could do to annoy her.

"Who was it from?" she hissed.

The Joker abruptly stopped and flashed a grin, "your sister."

Alex eyes filled with hope, "what did she say?"

"_Cher Doctor_ has told Rebecca to stay in your vacant apartment."

She frowned, "Why?"

"How should I know?"

"Wait, she didn't say why…?"

He shrugged, "Maybe I uh…don't remember." His smile was mischievous. He was hiding something.

"So…Rebecca's staying in my apartment?"

"Hmm…yes."

Alex picked up the phone pathetically, "Why did you have to break it?"

He smacked his lips together, "It was really an accident, but it's just as well I did. Phones can easily be _tracked-ah_." He clapped his hands together, "Now…come on beautiful…" he reached out a hand.

"Where am I going?"

"Somewhere more _appropriate_ for recovery."

She hesitated and then reluctantly took his hand. His hand constricted on contact and the leather was rubbing her hand in the wrong ways. It was painful, but she allowed him to lead her out the door, up some stairs, round a corner, up some more stairs blah blah blah…

It was rather blurred. If Alex was her usual self she would be looking at everything in great detail, having never been out of the storeroom before today, but she was lost in thought. Why was Rebecca staying in her apartment? It seemed quite random. She could conclude only that she was doing it because she was sick of her own apartment. In which case, she was being used. Alex felt quite hurt. Why would Rebecca take advantage of her kidnapping?

"You took that with you?" The Joker's voice snapped her back into the present. She gazed at him wondering what the hell he was talking about. He nodded at her right hand which was still clasping the broken mobile phone.

"Oh yeah…" she observed her hand before dropping the phone on the floor. She looked around. They were in a decent sized bedroom, but there was no colour. In fact for one crazy moment she thought she had gone colour blind. Everything was grey. "This is where I'm staying?"

"This is where _we _are uh… staying."

She didn't quite get what he said, but she didn't question him. There was only one bed; a double bed in the corner of the room. Surely they wouldn't sleep together. Shrugging it off, she took a step forward, inspecting the floor which was a dark maroon carpet; the only colour in the room.

"Why is there no colour?" she blurted out. She cursed herself for feeling so comfortable in his presence. She knew what he was capable of doing. Alex just assumed that the Joker, being terrifyingly unique and colourful, would have the same kind of residence. It was quite disappointing.

He shrugged, "sorry to _disappoint-ah_, but I haven't exactly had the time to paint the room any brighter than it is."

Reasonable point. She'd hardly think the 'Clown Prince of Crime' would have time to paint his own bedroom. He was probably not in the room much anyways, only at night to sleep and then at that time it doesn't matter what colour the room is.

The Joker ran his hand through his hair. It never seemed to move because it was so greasy. "I've to go do some business beautiful. If you're feeling sick, then please for _my _sake go to the bathroom…" he pointed to the mahogany door on the opposite end of the room.

She nodded consent. Recent events had caused her to forget about being 'sick.' In fact, now thinking about it…her stomach felt like it was doing somersaults. Weird how that happens; when you forget about feeling sick…you generally _aren't_ sick, but the moment you remember… you feel sick again.

"_Le Doctor _advised some sort of medicine…" he reached out of his coat pocket and showed her the pink substance. She tried to grab the bottle, but he put it back in his inner pocket and tutted, "Now now…you wouldn't think that I'd trust _you _with this. Hmm? You could easily take too much… Someone will be round later to give you it, but in the meantime…" he produced the bottle again, along with a teaspoon. Alex watched him open the bottle and pour out some of the substance onto the spoon, "Say… ah…" he pushed the spoon towards her mouth and she took it with a bitter resentment. She was perfectly capable of taking her own medicine.

"Blech…" she couldn't stop herself gagging, that stuff was revolting.

"Eh?" he shrugged and tapped her cheek roughly, "you'll get used to it." Then came along the signature smile, "Well… I have to be going _gorgeous_." The Joker made his way towards the door which had another man standing there. Alex did not notice him before and felt slightly embarrassed by the childish treatment she had just received. The Joker gave the man the medicine and spoon, "once at around…" he glanced at his arm which was watch-less, "six."

The thug nodded glumly. The Joker flashed Alex another smile before disappearing from the doorway. She could feel herself being watched so she moved further across the room so she could not be seen by the man in the doorway, but he simply moved into the room.

"Great…" she muttered darkly before seating herself on the edge of the bed.

*****

**I'm sooooo sorry for it taking so goddamn long! And it's probably not the best of chapters. From now on it's going to be a character per character, until I feel otherwise necessary. Thanks so much for those reviews, alerts and favs! It seriously means so much! =D xo**


	6. Spiderman

Rebecca rubbed her hands together from the cold. It was late. Well early… (2.00am). Dr. Crane did not come back like he said he would. She sat watching television, anxious from being left alone. The apartment was freezing because nobody occupied it in a few days and frankly…Rebecca was afraid to turn the heating on. She knew it was ridiculous, but what if it like…blew up or something?

"There's never anything good on at this time," she sighed switching it off. Jonathan said he'd come back and he hadn't. This made her very nervous. Very nervous indeed.

It was now pitch black in the room, but she knew her way around the apartment well enough to turn the light on in the dark. She sighed again as the lights blinked on, but this time out of appreciation. "Maybe I ought to go to bed."

"Maybe you should," a rough voice stated. Rebecca screamed and turned around, but the apartment was empty.

Her heart hammered in her chest. She could have sworn she heard a voice right beside her ear. In fact…she almost felt something breathe as she thought it over, but there was nobody around. "Calm down Becca…you're just tired…" she whispered to herself. This was true. Her head was spinning and her eyes were stinging. "Bed it is…" she muttered.

Although she was urging her legs to move they would not. She was still frozen to the spot with fear. "There's nobody there…" she told herself. Looking around again she repeated, "there is nobody there…"

With much effort she managed to turn her back to the room and start walking, but she kept looking over her shoulder. Something told her that she wasn't imagining it as she so thought she was. _'There definitely was something there…it spoke right into my ear…' _

She reached Alex's bedroom and switched the light on. She was then able to switch the other lights off and fix the sheets on Alex's bed. Rebecca glanced down the hallway again, but only became more afraid. The whole hallway was in a lingering darkness. She stared and stared, her heartbeat continuing the frightened rhythm in her ears. "M-maybe… I'll keep the hall light on…" she stammered. It illuminated itself again as she turned the switch back on. It was empty of course.

"See!" she told herself angrily, "Nobody there!" She did keep the hallway light on however and turned the bedroom one off so she could get some sleep.

As soon as she switched the bedroom light off, she closed the door over slightly and ran to the bed, jumping in before she could change her mind and scare herself into keeping the bedroom light on aswell. Rebecca snapped her eyes shut, '_now get some sleep girl.' _And sleep she did…

*****

_3:05am_

There was a loud bang and Rebecca shot awake. She rubbed her eyes wearily and looked at the clock. She had only been asleep an hour, but what had woken her?

It was far too dark to see. Why was it so dark? The hall light was-

Off. The hall light was off, but she remembered very clearly switching it on. Rebecca pulled the covers up to her chin, shaking from both the cold and fear. She didn't want to look, but she didn't actually know what she was afraid of. The bulb could have just blown… The electricity might have switched itself off…Maybe her lights were standby lights, turning themselves off after a short period of time until it detected movement again…She went through all the possible options in her head, trying to reassure herself, but only one option seemed likely… Scarecrow.

She looked straight ahead of her, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. She could just about make out the outline of the door.

She let out a frightened sob and buried her head in her knees. The door was open. The bedroom door was open and the hall light was off. That proved it. Someone else had been in the apartment. Someone else had been in the bedroom.

Rebecca's breathing came in short gasps. She could not control herself, she was truly afraid. She could now sense another presence in the bedroom. She licked her lips and braved a look. There…in the corner! Was it a face? A mask?

"J-Jonathan?" she choked out, "Jonathan is t-that you?"

The room was silent. All Rebecca could hear was her own unsteady breathing.

"No." Rebecca screamed at the sound of the raspy voice, but it was short-lived. There was the sound of something squirting into the air before the air itself seemed to disappear. Panic took over. She coughed and wheezed, unable to breathe. Something flew into her mouth and caught in her throat; a dry gaseous substance. She scrabbled at her chest in fear and threw her head under the blankets. After a few more moments of panicked short-lived breathing, she was able to take a breath in again and then breathe out…in and out…in and out…in…out…in…

She gave out loud cough and a small sniff before coming out from under the covers. It was as if nothing had even happened. The room seemed as quiet as ever, which wasn't exactly reassuring. Her head felt very light and her eyes got confused by the dark. The room was still…she knew that much, but everything was still moving. She could have sworn that she could see the particles in the air swirling around her. It was a very odd and disorientating sensation.

"Hello," the voice was beside her.

She turned around; unable to scream…unable to cry out at what she saw. That terrifying mask… even more so than the photographs. The night enhanced the dark outline of a face and a mouth and eyes…

"Nice to finally meet you Rebecca…" the voice had changed. It was constantly changing pitch and tone… it made her feel woozy.

She felt the bed covers dent inwards and something dropped out of his mouth and another…and another… She couldn't see what they were, but she felt them crawling up the bed and on her arm.

She screamed a high pitched scream, threw the blankets off the bed and ran to the corner of the room. There she continued to scream as Scarecrow walked towards her, the same hairy monsters dropping out from his mouth and eyes. She could feel them all over her; the greasy hairy legs of spiders.

Scarecrow stood right above her as she cowered into the fetal position of protection. "Why are you screaming?" He tilted his head. She peaked between her fingers at him, but shrieked uncontrollably when she saw three long hairy legs poking out of his mouth.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed between sobs. One landed on her foot sending cold shivers along her spine. Why did they have to be spiders?

He reached down and gripped her arm, pulling her to her feet, but she swatted him away. His hand felt hairy aswell, "Who the fuck are you? SPIDERMAN?!" she shouted.

"Spiderman?" he queried. He understood; she was afraid of spiders. How entertaining for him. He laughed, his mouth wide open with amusement and Rebecca watched as more and more creatures crawled out of his mouth, getting larger and larger the harder he laughed. His laugh was a dark twisted cackle, well so it seemed to be.

He playfully poked her stomach, but she pushed him away. He kept reaching out, grabbing parts of her body: her stomach, arms and face. Rebecca was screaming, shaking and sobbing with disgust and fear, but she reached the peak of her fright when he grabbled hungrily at her breasts.

"Get off me!"

It was a long… unbearably frightening night.

*****

**Yeah tiz short =] But i wanted to update ASAP. The next chapters Alex and le Joker, you'll be pleased to hear. So yeah... i was getting scared even typing it. Let me know what you think mmkay? Xo**


	7. Plans?

Round and round and round and round, Alex watched the electric fan. Round and round and round…

"Having fun there?" The man smirked. Alex ignored him, but he stood right in front of her making it nearly impossible to stare past him. "Bored?"

She cocked an eyebrow, "Isn't it evident?" She was tired, confused, sick _and_ bored. What an understatement.

"And this is what you do when you're bored?"

"Not usually…" great, now this guy thought she was some sort of wacko…not that it really mattered; she was tame in comparison to the Joker anyways.

"How about you do something more…**valuable** with your time?" he smirked again as he leaned in closer. Alex, who was sitting on the bed, tried staring straight past him, not exactly liking what she was hearing. "What I mean is…" he started zipping down his trousers…"What women were meant to do…"

"No thank you," she stood up and walked past him, "is it time for my medicine yet?"

The man gave an annoyed grunt, "Yeah I guess its time for your medicine…" he grabbed her shoulders roughly and pushed her onto her knees, "Now say ahhh…"

"I'm not swallowing that…" she stated matter-of-factly while he pulled his trousers off.

"Oh you'll swallow…" he placed a hand on the back of her neck and closed his fist causing her to wince as her skin was pulled tight.

"What makes you so sure?"

He trailed his tongue along her face before exposing his member to the air, "Because…you're a whore."

His comment hit her like whiplash. She stood up against his grip and wiped his saliva off her cheek, "I'm not a whore."

"Yes you are… You lovie…were designed to suck and swallow and lick. Now swallow me…" his grip on the back of her neck tightened even more.

She glared at the man before her, "No."

A large purple vein stood out on his forehead, "What did you say?"

It took all her bravery to do what she did next, but she managed it. "I said no," she hissed before kicking the man in the crotch area and sprinting towards the bathroom.

He doubled over; his face was scrunched up in the shape of an 'O' and the colour drained from him. He tucked his throbbing-with-pain-member back into his trousers and stumbled towards a wall which he could support himself on. "You bitch…" he muttered, saliva running down his chin.

Alex reached the bathroom, slammed the door shut and locked it. Sighing, she sat herself on the each of the bath. "If the Joker wanted a whore…he should have just bought one…" she said to herself. "Because I'm **not** a whore." Crazily…she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

*****

She jumped awake when the bathroom door started rattling on its hinges, "You bitch! Open the door!" Alex tucked her knees to her chest as the loud bangs continued. How long had she been out? Long enough for the man to recover as it sounds.

"Bitch! Open this fuckin' door!" the man spat, kicking at it.

Alex tensed up, "What have you gotten yourself into?" she muttered.

"You stupid whore! If you don't open this I'll break it down!"

She panicked. Could he really do that?

"Fine, have it your way! But boy am I gonna be mad…"

Alex braced herself. She really had no idea if he was capable of breaking down the door, but she had a bad feeling in her gut. A few minutes passed with no sound but her own breathing, then as she was about to stand, there was the loud ear-piercing sound of gun-shot. She let out a shriek, but covered her mouth with her hands to muffle the sound. Silence again.

She contemplated staying where she was, but it seemed like a rather good idea to open the door and see who had been shot. Adrenaline was pumping in her blood, availing her with the bravery to undo the locks and turn the handle.

Screaming, she just about stepped out of the way before the man collapsed onto the floor. Alex's heart was pounding in her chest as she poked him with her foot. He lay still on the ground. Blood seemed to be leaking from underneath him and it was slowly but surely making its way to Alex's shoes.

She jumped over the increasing pool of blood, her hand still over her mouth just in case her stomach felt like hurling itself onto the floor.

It was no surprise to her that it was the Joker that shot him. A fellow henchman wouldn't have the balls.

He was standing with the gun poised at his chin, small frown lines on his forehead and his tongue darted out of his mouth.

"Why did you kill him?" Alex asked out of curiosity. She wasn't sure if the Joker had seen their little display, but surely if he did he would not kill the man out of jealousy or to protect her or anything as trivial as that?

"You ask too many questions…" he placed his gun on the inside of his jacket.

Alex edged into the room a bit more, "I asked one."

He walked towards her, "well maybe…you shouldn't ask _any-ah_." He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her against him.

His fingers were digging into her cheeks. She tried to wriggle, but he dug his nails in further. "_I'll try…_" she wheezed.

"Sorry? I didn't quite catch that."

"I said okay!" she cried hoarsely. He let her go and she fell to her knees.

"Oh guess what sweetums?! I was out and about…y'know causing a bit of chaos and guess what I found out…?" he smiled at her as she massaged her face. Growling, he pulled her to her feet by her shirt, "I said GUESS!"

Alex gave a frightened squeak and then an exasperated sigh. She just couldn't understand this guys emotional swings, "Um…" she shrugged, "Who Batman is?"

The Joker burst into hysterics and patted her head, "oh no! No see…the Batman…he's like the host of a great circus y'know? And I'm…**I'm** the clown_. _He doesn't get me. He doesn't get my jokes. He thinks I don't have a funny bone in my body, but **he's **the one who's slightly messed up… up here…" he tapped his head, "He spoils my fun. He puts me down ALL THE TIME!"

Alex waited patiently for him to get to the point he was trying to make. "Batsy…he…just ruins my parade. But even so! EVEN SO!" he shouted causing her to flinch, "I wouldn't dream of unmasking him. He makes me… who I am and I love ruining **his **parade. Get my meaning?" he cocked his eyebrows.

"I t-think so…" she received another patronizing pat on the head. _'Well…'_ she thought, _'its better than having a knife against my throat.' _

The Joker tapped his chin, "now…where was I? Oh yes! Someone's stolen your job! HAHA!"

Alex flinched at his bluntness, "Wh-what do you mean?" She felt wounded, hurt…

"Someone's got your job as a journalist…" he shrugged, "and they've signed you out."

She felt like she had just been slapped across the face. In fact, she'd prefer it. Her job was her life. It kept her connected to the world which she had seemed to lose touch with. Everything revolved around it. Who was she without being a journalist? Just…Alexandra.

"Why would they do that?!" she suddenly exclaimed, "**I **was the best! It was me! It was me all over!"

The Joker gave a harsh laugh, "I never said it was going to be good news."

"HOW COULD THEY DO THAT!" she shouted, "I was renowned for being a fucking JOURNALIST! And who am I now? What is the point of **me **now?" She slowed herself down and glanced at him, frowning, "how can u be sure?"

"A _friend-ah _told me. A friend very well connected to the going-ons of Gotham." The Joker then watched as her face contorted in frustration and rage.

"Rebecca! It was Rebecca! How could she let somebody take my job? Well… I know I'm here… but at least I had something to look forward to if I ever, by some miracle escaped from you," she looked at him pointedly, "but now there is _nothing_. Zilch. Nada."

She dug her nails into the palms of her hands with anger, "She knew that was who I am. She fucking _knew_! How could she?! I just… don't believe this!" She gave a laugh; a cruel, fake cackle. "I just…" she shrugged, "whatever."

The Joker burst into hysterics due to the sudden change of attitude. Alex didn't blame him for laughing at her. She was a laughing stock. Rebecca was probably laughing at her right now. Everyone would be. And the police…why would they need to bother finding her now? She was a nobody. Rebecca and her snooty, posh job sitting in her apartment…scratch that…Alex's apartment.

"She's completely taken advantage of this…this situation!" she gasped. She's given her job to someone else (well… didn't try to stop whoever did give her job away) and stole her apartment. "Strike two Becca. Let's see if you brave anymore," she hissed darkly.

The Joker stopped laughing. He was…enchanted by the Alex's change of personality. He just realized how much she envied her sister maybe even _hated_. That last comment…if he didn't know any better (but he _always _knows best) was a threat. At this realization, he contemplated the possibilities of fun that he could have with this. By deliberately ignoring Rebecca's good intentions, Alex became more and more enraged…and **estranged**. Could the Joker possibly warp this girls mind?

"I think its time for your medicine beautiful, since this guy…," he nodded towards the body in the bathroom entrance, "couldn't manage it."

She nodded glumly.

"Go fetch." The Joker smiled.

She glanced back and her eyes widened, "Me?"

"Yes, that's what pets do. They fetch."

'_I'm __**not**__ your pet_,' she thought, but she did as she was told. Why shouldn't she? It seemed now, with her job down the drain there was no point in leaving this place. Maybe she could even get used to the Joker… She glanced back at him. Well maybe if he was a bit more caring and less demanding she could get used to him. Looking back at him she concluded that maybe there was _something_ in staying with him instead of the _nothing_ out there.

Reaching her destination, she clasped her hand over her mouth again as the man had started to smell. _'Alex you can't do this. You can't probe a dead man's body!' _She looked again at the Joker who was looking expectantly at her. She tore at the man's jacket, _'think of him as Rebecca.' _This made it a hell of a lot easier. She ripped the jacket off and reached into the pockets, felt the medicine bottle and spoon, and returned it to the Joker who was clapping at her like she was a child who had just recreated a ballet dance for their mother.

"Oh well done! I thought I'd have to teach you something about _obedience_ but you uh…you…surprised me!"

She rolled her eyes. She'd hate to have to think about what his methods of teaching obedience would be.

"Say ahh…"

Alex swallowed the medicine, without thinking of what she was doing. Her mind had wandered off. She did often pity herself and she knew that it was bad to do so, but she had a reason for pitying herself right now… she'd become to victim to a sick game and her sister was in on it, so it seemed.

"Good girl."

Alex drowned out the Joker's voice as she mourned her own life. It seemed to have flown out the window out of her reach, out of her grasp…

"If it makes you feel any better, I'd like you to do one last interview." She looked up at him curiously, her eyes willing him to explain. "How about you interview me?"

"Are you serious?" the prospect of interviewing the Joker was… scary to think about, but it was something she would enjoy a lot.

"Sweetheart… I'm _never _serious. How about it? You can ask me three questions, only three and I'll answer them honestly and truthfully."

"Why would you do this for me?" Alex gawped.

He gave a small laugh, "I'm not doing it for you. I get to publicize myself more this way. People will be watching with awe… 'Oh…! How did he get those scars? What school did he go to as a child? What were his parent's names? What is **his** name? Etc…etc… now I'll stop because I don't want to give you any ideas." He wiggled his eyebrows, "you can ask me whatever you _want-ah_. I'm leaving you the freedom because I know you'll only ask questions which you yourself are curious to find the answers to, and _that _also makes _me _curious."

He patted her cheek roughly with his gloved hand, "think about it."

"There is no need," Alex replied excitedly, "I'll do it."

"Great!" he spread his arms out wide and enthusiastically, "now I'll just make the plans…oh wait…I would, but…" he started laughing, "_I don't make plans!_"

*****

**Sorry there isn't exactly anything exciting happening yet. But i hope you get the Gist. The next few chapters will be much more interesting i promise Xo **


	8. Babysitting

Rebecca woke up very drowsy. Well at least she assumed she woke up. For a start, she was never really asleep. The darkness just seemed to cloud around her due to her senses being muddled with the drug Scarecrow used. If she did sleep, she didn't dream anything, which she was thankful for. Only God knows what damage her mind had received.

The air was still thick and suffocating. The remainder of the drug had obviously not worn off yet. She could hear the ticking of the clock; the only hint that she was in fact conscious, but then she remembered Alex didn't even have a clock, hence why her timescales were horrific. What difference did it make? There was defiantly a ticking sound in her head. She was not imagining it.

"Crane," she mumbled. He did not come back even though he promised he would. Rebecca was in no state to lay the blame on anybody, but Dr. Crane's face stayed in her mind when she thought about the events of the previous night.

"Time?" she twitched her fingers and raised her head slightly, but keeping it up was too big an effort. She was facing a large wooden wardrobe which she recognized as being the one in Alex's bedroom. Remembering the position of the wardrobe in the room, she concluded that she must have been lying on the floor and as the feeling returned to her legs, it was confirmed.

"Get up," although she told herself this, her willpower was a bit less lenient. Lying there, she began to understand the common phrase, **'Life fucks us all.' **

Meanwhile Dr. Crane was on his way to visit Rebecca and see how she was doing. He was whistling, as he always did when he was pleased with himself and he carried a back of groceries that were due yesterday. He would just have to spin a line and hope she'll trust him.

When Rebecca heard the door opening she nearly shit herself. Literally.

"Only me," Jonathan beamed, light-hearted and cheery.

Rebecca craned her neck. She saw who it was and gave a grunt."How did you get in?" she mumbled.

"You left the door open," he gestured. Rebecca's heart sank; that was how Scarecrow must have got in.

Rebecca laid her head back onto the floor again, trying to ignore him. She was still peeved that he didn't bother to come back last night. Who knows, maybe Scarecrow wouldn't have came if she had, had company?

"I brought some food," he shook the bag suggestively, but Rebecca didn't even glance at him. "Why are you lying on the floor?"

"Because I'm still drugged up."

He frowned, "what do you mean 'still'?"

Rebecca rolled onto her back so she was facing the ceiling, "When you didn't come back last night, I had a visitor."

"An old friend who wanted to inject you with heroin?"

She grunted, annoyed at his 'playing for a fool' act, "No you stupid…*sighs* It was Scarecrow. He drugged me up and played with me for a bit."

Dr. Crane walked into the room and sat on the bed. Rebecca's eyes snapped to him and she had to regain her gaze on the ceiling to stop herself from unleashing her frustration onto him.

"You still haven't answered me."

"What?"

"Why are you lying on the floor?"

Rebecca paused for a moment. She couldn't place a reason. She just kept running around the room, hunching into corners and screaming at Scarecrow to leave her alone. She didn't remember ever settling herself onto her stomach on the floor. She shrugged, "I don't know."

He faked a gasp, "Wait…he didn't…y'know…" He rolled his eyes awkwardly and she noticed his cheeks flushing slightly. Cleary he wasn't one to talk about intimacy or anything sexual.

"No. Not that I'm aware of," she had thought about it, but there was no pain between her legs. That could however, be due to the drug but she's positive she would remember something in_ that _nature.

"I'm sorry I didn't come back," Rebecca met his gaze, curious at what his excuse would be. "Harvey…didn't quite believe the story so…I got into a bit of a hassle."

She sighed. Who was she to pin anything onto him? It's not like it was his fault that Scarecrow came around. "It's okay."

"Are you going to get up now?"

She smiled to herself, "Yeah…" She swung her arms towards the ceiling to try to give her a boost, but her stomach ached and her legs wouldn't budge. Her head hit the floor pathetically, "I…I…can't."

"Would you like me to help you?" it escaped his mouth before he had thought it through. He hoped she would say-

"Yes please."

Not exactly what he wanted, but he had to comply now since he asked. He suppressed a sigh and reached out for her hand awkwardly. She grasped it tight and he pulled, but she just dragged along the carpet.

"I'm going to need your help with this…" he puffed.

"Oh yeah…sorry…" she balanced herself on her honkers and with the help of Dr. Crane's hand, she was pulled to her feet.

She took hold of his shoulder as she wasn't very steady on her feet. Dr. Crane looked almost awkward, but she didn't notice due to her eyes being closed as she took deep breaths. Smiling she said, "I think it might have worn off now." The air finally felt like air and she breathed in and out appreciatively.

Now that her mind had cleared, she was unwillingly recalling different memories from the previous night.

_Rebecca ran straight into the door, which __she presumed was open, but turned out to be shut tight. She pounded her fists off the wooden surface and scrabbled at the doorknob, but when feeling something prickly on the back of her neck she screamed and ran in another direction. Feeling a woolen material brush her ankle, she fell onto the floor, her face buried in something suffocating. _

Dr. Crane noticed that Rebecca's breathing had quickened. He followed her gaze which landed on the bathrobe which was lying on the floor. She seemed to be staring at it with a lot of concentration. "Uh…are you alright?"

_She couldn't breathe. The material seemed to whirl around her head and constrict. The wool forcing itself into her mouth. Scarecrow reached out and grabbed the bathrobe from her and threw it out of her reach. She glanced up with almost no relief as she saw who saved her from the damned woolen robe. Her face was wet with tears. _

"Rebecca?" Jonathan raised his voice, "What's wrong?" He touched her hand and she snapped it back, her eyes now boring into his face. Alarmed, he took a step backwards, "Rebecca-"

_Scarecrow grabbed her hand tight in his own hairy claws. She started hysterically sobbing as he stroked it in circles. "__You have such soft skin," he muttered. _

"_Let go of me!" she continued to cry. She had no strength left. "Please." _

Rebecca pushed Jonathan Crane with all her might and he fell backwards, hitting his head off the floor. "Don't touch me Scarecrow," she hissed.

Dr. Crane was positively terrified. Rebecca was a lot stronger than she looked. "I'm not Scarecrow," he tried to reason with her, "It's me Doctor Jonathan Crane."

"Crane?" she queried.

"Yes…" he stood up and brushed down his clothes with his hand, "It's me Dr. Crane. Your friend." He walked towards her, noticing a change in her expression.

Her face crumpled as she started to cry, "You didn't come back!" She collapsed onto the floor, "you left me alone."

At this point, Jonathan didn't know what to do. It was not in his nature to look after a sobbing maiden, especially one which he had voluntarily upset.

She continued to sob, as he stood watching; completely bewildered. "I'm sorry?" he glanced around the room as if looking for inanimate help.

"Can you make me a cup of tea?" she cried.

"What?" he blinked.

"Make me a cup of tea!" she shrieked at him.

"Oh…well… okay," he edged around her weeping figure and walked briskly out of the room.

*****

With a cup of tea in her shaking hands, Rebecca was finally content enough to leave the bedroom. She found her phone which was lying on the sofa and started flicking through her pictures out of boredom.

"Why have you got your phone?"

Rebecca ignored Dr. Crane's idiotic question. Every single woman in the whole bloody universe needs a mobile phone. Even when they are not using it, feeling it in their trouser pocket is enough to keep them satisfied.

It seemed she was now quite popular. She had three missed calls from Harvey Dent's office, two from her ex-best friend who works in her office and three from her father. Since she couldn't be bothered ringing any of them back, she decided to flick through her texts. There were several from her father: _'I keep getting calls from your office! Why aren't you in work?' 'I've just heard about Alexandra. Are you okay? Can you call round sometime?' 'Why are you ignoring your phone? Are you sick?' 'Hey sweetie, give us a call ASAP.' _

She smirked to herself and hit reply, _'Well, well, well. It's been a while since I've seen or heard from you dad. It's a long story. It starts with something along the lines of-'_

"Hey give that back!" Rebecca shouted as Jonathan snatched the phone from her hands.

"Sorry, but it's for your own good," he slid her phone shut and turned it off by the power button, "you should know by now that these are easily tracked." He pocketed it.

Rebecca stood up outraged, "Give me my phone back right now!"

"I can't do that."

Her face contorted into a look of anguish, "This is so…" she crossed her arms together and sat back down again, "**Fucked.**"

Jonathan gave a surprised smile, "I don't think I've ever heard you curse before."

"Oh!" she shot off the seat as if it was covered with hot coals, "I'm so sorry _Doctor, _but I think I've got every right to be cursing right now! You couldn't even _begin _to comprehend the trauma I was put through last night!"

"Uh…"

"If you're going to complain about my cursing then fuck you!"

"I wasn't complaining…I was just saying…"

"WELL DON'T!" she fumed.

Dr. Crane gave a mocking smirk. Clearly someone's attitude was affected by the drug he used. He expected angst and fear, but not **this**.

She rolled her eyes, "What **are** you smirking about?"

"I think you may have bipolar."

"If you don't mind, I'd rather you didn't try to interpret my mood swings with your psychiatric intelligence. At least, just not right now."

"It doesn't take psychiatric intelligence to tell if-" he looked at the glares he was receiving, "okay…point taken."

She sat back down again with a cocky smile playing on her lips, "Besides I'm menstruating."

Jonathan blinked, "What?"

"I have my period Doctor."

He flushed a deep scarlet, "I know what it means."

"So… you can't possibly tell if im bipolar or not at this time of month," she winked at him.

He played with his tie. Was it getting hot in here? "Uh…I've to go back…to…the office and…do…things." He backed towards the door, "I take it…you'd like me to put the key back? So you can lock the door?" He whipped out the key pointedly.

Rebecca patted her pockets. How did he get a hold of the key? "Yeah, but-" The door opened and closed before Rebecca had a chance to blurt out, "Wait!"

She sighed, but couldn't help but laugh. If she ever needed to cheer herself up again, that is what she would do; talk to Jonathan about her 'Lady problem.' That is if he ever came back. He seemed pretty scared of her now. "Ha!" she shouted.

She turned the T.V. on for company and went to see what exactly Dr. Crane had bought in the shops that she could make for lunch and/or dinner.

*****

9.00pm.

Rebecca locked the door, cursing as she noticed there was only one lock. Said lock could be easily broken, but at least she would be able to hear it if Scarecrow tried to.

She practically stuffed her face the moment Dr. Crane left her on her own. She never realized it, but she was _starving_. After eating a rather yummy chicken curry with boiled rice, she was feeling quite confident. Already the stakes had changed. The door was safely locked, Rebecca's stomach was full and Dr. Crane made no promises of coming back therefore she wouldn't be disappointed. It was an unusual way of putting it, but she _was_ feeling quite optimistic.

'I think I'll get to bed early,' she thought to herself, as she stifled a yawn. Last night long and she was **very** tired. Her eyeballs were practically hanging out of her head.

Leaving the T.V. on, she made a break for the bathroom so she could brush her teeth, wash her face and use the toilet. She left it on the music channel and turned it up really loud so she could hear from the next room.

It was rap music; a song which she had never heard before. She was very glad too, it sounded rubbish. She started brushing her teeth, the loud rap music irritating her as she did so. Once she had finished the top teeth, she squeezed some more toothpaste onto the toothbrush Dr. Crane has bought for her and brushed her bottom teeth. It may seem odd to brush both the top and bottom rows of teeth with different toothpaste (and then both rows together with more toothpaste), but she was a bit of a hygiene freak.

She was so immersed in scrubbing her teeth, trying to ignore the awful music blaring from the T.V. that she didn't notice said music stopping. While finishing off brushing her teeth she noticed that 'bleep' sound that sometimes affects the ears when it is too quiet. She paused in mid-brush and leaned out of the doorway to see if maybe a quieter song was on, but there was no sound at all. Returning to the sink and spitting out the residue in her mouth, she thought to herself, 'the door is locked remember?'

It wasn't possible for anybody to get in without the key, unless they broke the lock, in which case they were very skilled as it took a while to do so. She should know; she's forgotten to bring her keys to work some days.

Leaving the bathroom light on, she decided to investigate. The red light on the T.V. was still on, meaning it was just on standby. It had probably overheated, but Rebecca couldn't stop the anxiety in her gut so she walked towards the door to inspect the lock.

It seemed untouched and intact. She shrugged it off and returned to the bathroom to turn the light off.

"Just in case," she muttered as she turned the living room light off and the hall light on before making her way to the bedroom.

Rebecca hesitated before going inside the bedroom. She was shivering, but not from the cold. Last night was too terrifying for her to shake the paranoia out of her system. She was trying to kid herself that Scarecrow could not and would not get into the apartment, but it was still entirely possible and probable that he would.

She bit her lip. Perhaps she ought to go get her phone from the sofa in case she needs to ring the police. Wait… She grunted as she remembered that she didn't have a phone; Jonathan had taken it. She stepped into the bedroom and was greeted by the most unexpected voice… "Sorry that Scarecrow couldn't make it tonight…"

Rebecca shrieked and lifted the first object in sight; a hairbrush.

"What exactly are you _intending-ah _to do with that?" the clown raised his eyebrows.

Rebecca stood stock still with her mouth hanging open. There sitting on her bed was the Joker himself in all his unique clothes. She glanced around the room expecting Scarecrow to jump out at her spraying the drug everywhere, like some sort of sick joke, but other than the crazy man on her bed and herself, there was nobody else present in the room.

She dropped the hairbrush to the floor, "What the hell are _you _doing here?"

The Joker walked towards her. For a moment, Rebecca thought he was going to hurt her as he leaned in close enough to do so, but he was simply closing the door. "Your _pal_ couldn't make it tonight. He's asked me to _babysit._"

"Babysit?" she frowned and edged around him towards the bed where she could at least sit down.

The Joker's eyes followed her and watched intently as she shook her shoes off, "Yes. You didn't think that he'd leave you all alone?"

"Why wouldn't he?"

"Well…you might try to escape sweetums. I thought it was evident."

She looked at him wearily, "I hadn't thought of it."

"Why?" the Joker was curious.

She licked her lips anxiously, "I've placed my trust in… a friend."

The Joker approached the bed aswell, "A _friend_?"

Rebecca watched him cautiously as he made his way closer and closer to where she was sitting. "Yes."

"Is this friend…Dr. Jonathan Crane perhaps? Mmm?" He licked his lips.

She was slightly taken aback. How would this creepy clown know that Dr. Crane was paying her visits? Unless he was watching her, which adds perverted to the list.

Rebecca didn't answer. The Joker sat down beside her and she looked away to find something a bit more…pleasant to concentrate on.

After a few moments of silence there was something cold against her neck. Rebecca flinched and glanced to see that he had his switchblade out on her. She stood up and glared at him, "Don't touch me."

The Joker stood up aswell, "Now…you should know, that the only person you should place trust in…is yourself."

Rebecca's eyes darted to the door, but the Joker saw and blocked it from her sight with his body.

"You're afraid…" he scoffed.

Rebecca gave a slight smirk, "Of you? I don't think so."

The Joker pouted, "Aw…why?"

"I think I can deal with _you_."

He played with her hair using his knife, "Yeah…if only I had found you sooner…"

Rebecca backed up, "What are you talking about?"

The Joker laughed, "Well if I got to you before Scarecrow did….then you would indeed have to deal with me. I've got my own _toy-ah _so I'm not going to try anything too big on you. I'm just following Scarecrow's _requests._" He scowled, obviously not too happy at doing as Scarecrow asks.

"Yeah, you've got my sister," she hissed.

The Joker laughed, stamping his foot off the ground over-emphasizing his joy, "Oh yeah! Nothing personal eh?" He winked.

"So what sick games are you playing on her?" she asked, trying to keep cool the anger inside of her.

"Nothing spectacular yet…I'm taking my time," he glanced around her bedroom, "It smells like her in here…"

Rebecca placed her hand over her mouth to stop herself from throwing up. The Joker was just such a creep. "How…how did you get in?" He produced a key. Rebecca gasped, "Where…?"

The Joker tapped his nose and winked. There was a huge lump in her throat now…if that was the key from Alex's hiding place, obviously insinuating that the Joker found it…that meant that Scarecrow could also find it. Looks like she'd need to find a new hiding place.

The Joker amused himself by looking through Alex's drawers. He kept giggling and throwing her garments over his shoulder. "Mmm…kinky…" he held up a pair of handcuffs which were lying at the bottom of the drawer.

Rebecca rolled her eyes and sighed, "When are you leaving?"

"Whenever you fall asleep and morning comes."

"What makes you think I'm going to go to sleep?"

He raised his eyebrows, "Because I'm telling you to."

"Your not in charge of me," she folded her arms.

He growled darkly, "I am at this minute."

"But you just said…"

"I said I'm following Scarecrow's requests. He wants you to sleep, therefore I'm to make sure you do sleep." He cocked an eyebrow, "are you going to get into bed or not?"

"Not with you in the room."

He stared at her with his dark eyes and smiled his signature smile, "Don't make me use these on you…" he held up the handcuffs.

"They have no keys. The policeman she was screwing probably has them," she pointed out.

"Well observed, but they **are** open."

Rebecca gulped, "You wouldn't leave me cuffed to the bed when you go would you?"

"Wouldn't I?" he waggled his eyebrows.

She stared at him intently for a minute trying to figure out if he was bluffing, but with the Joker there was no possible way of telling. "Fine," she snapped, jumping into bed, "Happy?"

He faked a concerned frown, "You wear your normal clothes in bed?"

"Not usually, but there is no way I'm putting my pyjamas on with you here."

"I could turn my back?" he suggested.

"You'd peek."

The Joker giggled, "Aw…true. Now go to sleep Becca."

"Don't call me Becca."

"I can call you what I like," he smirked, "Now go to sleep."

Rebecca growled with infuriation, "Do you have to be so patronizing?"

"Yes," the Joker switched the light off. The last thing Rebecca saw before complete darkness was the creepy smile on his face.

"I can't see you," she exclaimed, her eyes trying to adjust to the dark.

"That's alright sweetums. I can see _you-ah_."

That wasn't very comforting for her. How the hell was she supposed to sleep knowing that he could see her and she couldn't see him? Telling herself that he couldn't do anything to her as Scarecrow told him not to, she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. 'This is going to be impossible!' she thought angrily to herself, but with the comforting fact that Scarecrow would not be bothering her tonight, she seemed to forget about the Joker and her tired eyes rolled into the back of her head into a slumber.

*****

**Sorry…quite a bit of fluff here . It wasn't really intended, but eh…I couldn't help myself. =D I hope the Joker came as a surprise. Tell me what you thought. Reviews would be much appreciated. Xo**


	9. Intense Conversation

Alex scribbled furiously on a notepad with a silver pen that the Joker supplied her with. She was trying to think of three amazing questions to ask in their little 'interview' but it was very difficult. The Joker was a very unique, mysterious man which nobody seemed to know anything about. The prospect of being able to ask him anything…_anything_… was so exciting that it caused her hands to shake when she thought about it.

It was the evening and the Joker had left to do some business with Dr. Crane, meaning that she would not be disturbed while she was in 'the zone.'

"Should I ask about childhood?" she muttered to herself, placing the pen in her mouth and sucking on it anxiously. She scribbled a sub-heading 'Childhood' and started furiously writing possible questions underneath it. "No…I don't think I'll ask about his school…" she crossed out a question.

She had three sections, 'Irrelevant, Personal and Childhood.' Each of these sections had over five questions each. How would she be able to narrow it down to only _three_?

Alex placed the pen and the notepad on the floor and leant against the bed. Never before had she got so excited about an interview. It could be because the Joker limited the amount of questions she could ask (which she must say, was very frustrating), but she was probably so excited because of the person she was interviewing. This was the first time ever that people would be guaranteed the truth. The Joker was an interesting character and she just wanted to delve straight into his mind.

Shaking her head vigorously she muttered, "Calm down Alex… three questions remember? Three…"

"Grape…" she picked one of the stalks and popped it into her mouth. One of the Joker's goons supplied them for her earlier. Fruit and vegetables would be the only food that she could eat with her sick stomach, but she wasn't complaining. Grapes contained plenty of sugars, which her body would burn as energy; something that she needed.

"I could really do with some music right about now…" she found she worked better with her music blaring. Her favourite song at the minute would have to be, 'Filthy gorgeous' by the Scissor Sisters. It just made her want to shake her head and dance, but I suppose that wouldn't be appropriate right now, not with the seriousness of this interview.

She started humming under her breath, but when her foot started tapping of its own accord she shook herself out of it. "Concentrate," she muttered.

"I don't need this…" she crossed out another question under 'childhood', "Or this…" she crossed out one from 'irrelevant.'

Frowning slightly she remembered something the Joker said, _"I know you'll only ask questions which __**you**__ yourself are curious to find the answers to, and that also makes __**me**__ curious." _It almost seemed like the Joker was evaluating her, like he was using this opportunity to find out more about Alex, rather than the other way around. Alex huffed slightly, "_I'm_ the one doing the interview."

Right now she was writing down questions which other people would avail from, but the Joker is expecting Alex's personal curiosity, not the public's.

On this realization, she crossed out three more questions. There were now four in 'irrelevant', four in 'childhood' and six in 'personal.' Alex raked her eyes over the two pages she had been scribbling on and found it would be exceedingly difficult to narrow it down any more. It seemed she was more interested in finding out the Joker's personal life, rather than his childhood, which everybody in the press is so obsessed over.

Alex didn't care about how he got his scars, instead she wondered what exactly went wrong inside his head that made him the scar on society he was today. She didn't want to know about if he was mistreated as a child, but his personal representation of mistreatment. She wasn't a psychologist, but a journalist and she was using this opportunity to get his personal insights on the world, not to get into his head.

She crossed out the whole 'Childhood' section and left only one question in 'irrelevant' only to break up whichever two questions she would decide to ask about from 'personal.'

As to which of these questions she would ask… she had no idea and she left it at that. She would decide at the given time.

She ripped out the two pages, folded them up and tucked them safely down her bra where they would remain until the following day, which the Joker had decided would be the best time for her to ask said questions.

Not having anything else to do, she gulped down the rest of the grapes and with her head still lying against the bed; she closed her eyes to try to sleep. The excitement was still pounding in her blood and the adrenaline was still there from earlier in the day. This made it impossible for her to settle down properly.

*****

**Alex's P.O.V**

I felt that familiar change in the air once I realized I was conscious. That, 'is it morning? I think it is' change. I peeked out of my eyelids, but saw nothing. It was still extremely dark, not only that, but my left eyelid seemed stuck. Groaning slightly, I picked off the 'lack of sleep gunk' that encrusted it and literally peeled it open.

Again another feeling; I was alone. Glancing up at the bed confirmed it. Obviously the Joker didn't come back from the previous night or…he was just an early riser. An _extremely _early riser.

I smiled. The Joker not being here meant that I could fix myself up a bit without being bothered. I definitely did not want to see the state that I was in. I did sometimes cry if I don't look presentable. You have to understand, my looks are everything. Strip me of my looks and my job… Alex = a bum. Oh…and don't get me started on that whole 'assigning someone else to my job' thing. It's enough to drive me insane.

"Rebecca," I scoffed, "Oh look at me…I work with the fucking district attorney and that makes me so goddamn special. Yeah right…" I worked my legs into the bathroom where there was a small mirror I could check myself out in, but at that moment I wasn't sure whether or not I was strong enough to cope with what I would see. Curiosity getting the better of me, I looked or should I say…gawped.

Well the hair was alright. It was messy sure, but it didn't look entirely greasy, which was a huge relief. Besides, I see teenagers running about the streets with purposely messy hair and nobody thinks anything of it. "I can deal with this…" I muttered, combing my nails through the thick mess. "Aw…but my nails…" I just flicked my eye to my fingers for one moment and saw that my nail polish had chipped in various places. As much as it pained me, I could still scrape it all off so my fingernails were actually symmetrical. The huge problem was my actual face. I pulled desperately at my cheeks trying to place some sort of colour onto the pale palette, but I was fighting a losing war. Not only was my skin pale and clammy, but I had enormous bags under my eyes, my eyes were bloodshot, I had chapped lips and I needed to brush my teeth. I knew that 'morning breath' was staying in my mouth too long to be normal.

"Look at you…" I choked, "What are you going to do now? How will you fix yourself up?" Rhetorical questions that I could not answer. The Joker could return anytime and demand that I give him the interview at that moment and I looked absolutely awful.

Tears stung my eyes. I couldn't help it.

"Aw did you really miss me that much?" I jumped at the sound of his voice and wiped the tears from my eyes, feeling pretty pathetic.

"No," I turned and faced him. He wore a smile greater that the Cheshire cat himself.

He cocked his head to the side like a confused puppy. "No?" he pouted slightly, mocking me, "Then why are you crying?"

Everything about him at that moment made me want to break down into more tears. He was just so demeaning and… hurtful. He was humiliating me. "I'm not crying," I tried to sound strong, but it came out as a mere squeak.

For a second he looked angry and when he stepped forward so he was face to face with me I couldn't help, but let my lip quiver with fear. "I see tears," he stated.

No shit. "Fine, I _was _crying," I mumbled, "I can't interview you looking like this."

"Looking like what exactly?"

I grumbled to myself, hardly being able to control my eye movement around the back of my skull. He was purposefully making me point out my flaws; something he obviously knew was very hard for me. "Not wearing any makeup," I smiled shakily.

The Joker smashed his hand into the wall directly beside my head causing me to involuntarily jump. "Well…if you positively **can't** do it."

"Can't," I repeated.

"Uh…positive?"

"Yes," I nodded. It pained me. The amount of work I put into those questions…but…I wouldn't be concentrating properly, especially in front of the camera, knowing how awful I looked.

With the blink of an eye, the switchblade was out. He started stroking my cheek with it causing my stomach to jump around uncomfortably. The ice-cold metal against my skin caused shivers to run along my spine and the bottom part of my stomach clenched. I suddenly realized that I needed to use the toilet. Well, maybe it didn't matter; I could end up being sick on him first.

"Wh-what are you doing?" I gasped, tightening my legs together to control any form of leakage. He didn't reply. Instead he traced the blade along my lips, ever so slightly making a gash in my flesh. He then stopped promptly, with the blade poised upwards right under my nose, settling still on my lips.

"Wait. Right. _Here-ah_," he growled and left the room.

I stood with my back to the mirror with my legs still squeezing together, and lightly touched my bottom lip. He had made a small slice and drops of blood were coming out slowly. I sucked on it, not exactly enjoying the metallic, salty taste in my mouth, but sucking nonetheless.

When he returned, he held in his hand something I was not expecting. **His **makeup. "You can use this…" he gestured. Well it was an odd thing to hear from a man, 'you can wear my makeup,' but I was thrilled. Okay, so I couldn't exactly do much with lipstick, white makeup and charcoal, but it was a start.

"Thank you," I watched him place it by the sink and waited for him to leave the room.

"Well…what are you uh…waiting for?"

"Oh…" I realized he wasn't going to leave anytime soon, "I kind of…need to use the toilet." I flushed with embarrassment.

He shrugged and left the room, closing the door behind him. I sighed with relief and sat on the toilet to do my business. While I was going to the toilet, I looked around for any signs of toilet roll. There were none. I blushed furiously again. What did he expect me to use? The rug?

When I was finished, my eyes were still scanning the room for suitable bottom-wiping-material. I settled for a dirty bath towel which lay on the floor. "Gross…" I mumbled.

I threw the used towel in the sink and filled it up as a method of cleaning. Then I took the small container of white makeup and stuck my fingers in it, unsure if I was going to be able to make this work. "Here goes nothing…" I sighed and started applying it to my face. I worked along my cheekbones round to under my eyes, covering up the enormous purple bags I had. Once I was happy with the thickness of the makeup, I applied it to the rest of my face, and my neck. Avoiding checking out how I looked, I immediately lifted the red lipstick and started to apply it to my lips.

Finishing off, I lifted a paintbrush which was lying on the floor and dipped it into the black charcoal. Acting as an artist, I painted a black line on my eyelids as close as possible to my eyelashes. I then used it as eyeliner, underneath my eye. I checked myself in the mirror and I didn't look _that_ bad. I smirked slightly, not believing that I managed to create a good look with just white makeup, lipstick and charcoal. I only wished that I had mascara.

"I'm done," I stood at the doorway anxiously. The Joker raised his head from setting a camera in place and stared, and if that didn't make me feel self-conscious enough, he started chuckling. "W-what? Do I look…stupid?"

"No no no! You did a wonderful job. Now I'm just thinking about how much you suit that uh… style. Come over here…" he gestured to a wooden chair and I went to it, reluctantly sitting down near the camera. It was on a stand pointing more where I'm sitting rather than where he would be (obviously assuming, that is what the other chair was for). I shifted uncomfortably and retrieved my notes from my bra. I still didn't know what I was going to be asking.

I looked through them, while the Joker sat down opposite me. I should have spent more time on these the previous night. I reached for the pencil I had hooked on my bra strap and I scribbled out a question.

The Joker raised his eyebrows, "what else ya' got down there?" He grinned.

"Nothing else except the usual."

"Size?"

"34C." You may wonder why I was giving away my bra size, but many men asked me before the Joker therefore I was just accustomed to blurting it out without second thought. "Remember…I'm interviewing _you_." I don't know exactly what was giving me confidence; perhaps I had slipped into 'the zone.'

He chuckled, "Right you are. The camera's already _rolling-ah_."

My eyes darted to it and I blushed furiously. I just gave my bra size to what would be public television. I shook it off and tried to regain composure, "now…question one Joker."

"Mmm?"

Help. I glanced all over the pages and panicked. He was waiting, boring his brown eyes into my brain. "Uh…where you recruit your thugs from?" Damn. I just blurted it out. "Sorry…where _do_ you recruit your thugs from?" I asked more slowly.

He tapped his chin, "well…when I was starting out I went to those ex-Arkham patients…"

"Arkham Asylum?" I queried.

"Is that another question?" he cocked an eyebrow.

I swallowed, "No…sorry. I'm just so used to my usual routine."

"That's alright. I forgive you uh… _this time_," he shot a dark look, "Along with these 'crazies' as some would call them, I stole a few from our _notorious _mob leaders, but now, as you know, I'm most infamous in Gotham. Mostly they come to me, not the other way round. I don't think I'd waste my time and energy recruiting thugs. They can only be _so _useful…"

"So useful? You kill them then?" I shot my hand over my mouth. That was not what I wanted to ask, but thankfully he didn't seem to take notice.

"Sometimes…or I send them on tasks which are bound to get them captured or uh…_killed_."

I nodded, keeping my big mouth shut until I pick my next question. "Great, so um…second question…"

"Third."

I frowned, "What?"

"You're on your third question. You've asked me where I got my thugs from and how I _disposed _of unhelpful ones."

I panicked. This was so unfair…he let the first mistake go… I darted my eyes over the page; now I was going to have to choose between four really good questions.

"I'm uh…waiting." My heart was pounding in my chest, I was beginning to sweat and my eyes became blurry. Suddenly, a moment of madness, I ripped the pages to shreds and watched as they fluttered onto the floor. Silence. I could feel him watching me.

'Just ask something _you _want to know,' I told myself. I didn't need my notes. I could improvise…

"Joker," I stated, "Why have you chosen the whole, 'Jester' attire?" It was something _I _was curious about, but I hadn't written it down. In fact I only thought of it at that moment.

He just stared at me; simply, stared. Stared and stared and stared. Did I ask something offensive?

I fidgeted slightly. Maybe…

"Well I uh… like card games," he eventually spoke and I breathed with relief, "A lot. My 'attire' is unique wouldn't you say? It's never been used before in the crime world. It enhances people's memory of me. People don't just say uh… 'The Joker? Who in the world is that?' Seeing me creates an everlasting image in their_ minds-ah_." He looked at me with a look that enquired if I understood and I nodded, urging him to continue, "My scars, which by the way I'm uh... surprised you didn't ask about, fit into the style. I've an everlasting smile upon my face, like that of the jester on the joker card or of a clown made up for show. My 'clown' makeup scares people. It enhances my scars, and you could _say-ah_ that it leaves a scar on their own _mind-ah_, or their face, depending on which way I kill them." He smirked.

"That's…really…" I nodded, "It makes sense."

"Does it?"

"Yeah…it does. You sound like you want to be known, uniquely known. Everything you've done revolves around that; the trademark smile on your victims, your appearance and the way you do your crime. You make absolutely no attempt to hide yourself."

"Is that so?" he cocked an eyebrow, apparently annoyed that I was analyzing him, but I was too excited to notice.

"Yes! You've become a scar on society. You've changed everything and… you seem so sure that you can provoke us so forwardly and still skip away; I mean of course you're sure. You've already escaped Arkham three times! Wow…why you do what you do is…more clear now!"

He stood up abruptly causing me to flinch and suddenly remember my place in this game, "how long have you been a psychologist?" he asked sarcastically.

I didn't reply. Instead I bit my tongue worried about what I had said. I had forgotten completely what exactly this man was capable of.

"I never realized how similar journalists were to those mind-doctors. You think you can analyze me? Ha! HA HA!" he forced out a few laughs before turning serious again. He pointed his finger at me dangerously, "Remember sweetums, you're _my_ plaything. Not the other way around," he growled. If I hadn't have went to the toilet earlier, I would have right there and then.

Turning to the camera he smiled, "I think that's enough for now Gordon," pushed his face into it, "So _long-ah_!" He switched it off.

Silence. My heart was pounding in my ears. Obviously I had made a huge mistake. I couldn't believe that I did that. I had taken advantage of my position and mark my words…I didn't think I'd be treated so softly again.

He turned to me, looking as though he didn't know what to do with me. I swallowed the mucus which was building in my throat.

I blinked and he was right in front of me. I tried to recoil, but I had forgotten I was in a chair and flew backwards, landing with my feet in the air. He laughed and I tried to regain my composure quickly and stand up, but he got to me faster. He grasped my hair in a vice-like grip and pulled me to my feet. I cried out and scrabbled at his hands to relieve the ripping-stinging sensation from my scalp, but he had let go of me as quickly as he grabbed me.

Wham. Stars. I was on the floor again, blinking tears as I felt the pain on my cheek. He had slapped me which such force that I had fallen. I shakily stood, only to be slapped down again on my other cheek. I started sobbing and screaming as he grabbed my hair again. "Let go!" I shrieked, but he kept tugging and tugging. My scalp was on fire, it felt like it had been ripped clean off my head.

"Stop crying," he growled and smashed my head into the wall. Immense pain. My eyes were blurry from both tears and disorientation. "I said, stop." My head made contact with the wall again, this time I heard a loud cracking sound and more stars appeared before my eyes. I had stopped screaming, or so I had thought. My mouth was doing it of its own accord, but I couldn't hear it. It was as if the waves of the sea were drowning out all the sounds. I barely felt the last bash; it was a twanging pain that lasted only moments before the world blacked out and I was very obviously unconscious in his grip.

*****

**It's up! Relieved? I'm so uber uber uber uber sorry that it took so long! But alas! I have an excuse this time ^^ My friend sent me pictures over msn and there was a virus attached (don't trust those things lol). My computer had to be reloaded, and everything… EVERYTHING! ! was deleted. So you can imagine my frustration. I hope this ****chapter isn't a huge disappointment for you guys! **

**Please leave a review!- Xo**


	10. A Mistake

The first thing Rebecca did when she awoke was check every room for the Joker's presence. When she found that he wasn't she sat on the sofa and turned on the news.

'_News today: No sign of our assistant DA, Rebecca Mc Mahon and Harvey Dent grows more and more anxious. He was seen today with a certain Rachael Dawes walking to work on Saturday. __Rumour__ is that she will be replacing Rebecca if she is not found in the next two days. Many Gotham residents are complaining that she should be replaced straight away as they are annoyed at the lack of control the government seems to have. In other news, another criminal has made an impact on the major pharmacy in Gotham. Footage shows a man in a sack mask ordering his men to steal our drugs and medicine. What exactly would he want with all our medicines? We will hear from Dr. Ruford later in the show who thinks he knows the logical answer for this. I'm not surprised that our residents are panicking. That's two criminals that we should be watching out for…Well, if you work in a pharmacy.'_

Growling, Rebecca switched the T.V off. She was both angry and confused. She knew that Gotham would miss her, but she did not realize that she would be reported missing. She assumed Dr. Crane had explained the situation thus securing her job. Now, this unknown, Rachael, was going to take her job and it looks as though she was already working on taking Harvey away aswell.

"Calm down…" she muttered, "It's not as if he's _your_ man." But she wanted him to be. Being stuck here meant that she would be unable to win Harvey's heart. Well, at the time it seemed impossible, but she could if she really wanted to. It was obvious he liked her.

She clenched her fists angrily. She was definitely going to question Dr. Crane when he came to see her.

An hour later and Rebecca was still fuming on the sofa. The lock clicked open, but she didn't turn around.

"How are things?" The doctor enquired.

Rebecca scowled and turned, shooting daggers through her eyes, "Well I should be asking you the same question."

He walked slowly to the sofa and sat down beside her, "What are you talking about? What's wrong?"

She shoved his shoulder with her angry fists. "You had me declared missing?!" she shouted.

"W-what? Where did you get that from?" he frowned.

"The fucking television!" she shoved his shoulder again and he stood up, not wishing to be shoved with such force again, "I'm on the news!"

"W-what? Really?" he played it dumb and she saw straight through it.

"Oh shut up Crane! I want to know why exactly that…that…Rachael is going to take my job! I want to know why my career has been fucked with, and I want to know why you declared me missing!"

He fixed his glasses on his nose. Yes, he had her declared missing, but he had to. Otherwise there would be a huge public row behind him. He wasn't ready to unveil his alter-ego just yet. "It was not me that told the press. It was Harvey Dent," he lied, "I told you he didn't like what I told him about Scarecrow. Perhaps he will believe me now that Scarecrow has made himself public."

"Aw don't fuck with me," she hissed, "You'll go to him and tell him that and he will come straight here to get me."

"True."

"Well then I'm fucked aren't I?"

Coolly Crane raised his eyebrows and stated, "It is not lady-like to curse." He cocked his head to the side, aggravated.

"Well then I'm not a lady," Rebecca stood up and placed her hands on her hips, "and who are you to come here and tell me how to be polite?"

"I was just suggesting-"

"Well don't," she shouted. Sighing and closing her eyes she asked through gritted teeth, "Can you please leave? I don't want to see you right now."

He started, "I just came to see what groceries you need…"

"I don't want you to get me food anymore. Just get out."

Dr. Crane nodded politely and walked towards the door. He glanced towards her. She had her back to him. Leaving the apartment and closing the door behind him, he smirked. Rebecca Mc Mahon had made a big mistake.

*****

Rebecca regretted shouting at Dr. Crane the minute she opened the fridge door for something to eat. All there were was fruit and an egg and orange juice. She poured herself a glass of it and settled herself back on the sofa. Turning the T.V back on again, she took a sip of her orange juice. "Let us see what is on…"

Flicking through every channel she muttered, "Boring. Boring. Krap. Boring krap. Oh Teletubbies! Krap." She felt really depressed for some odd reason and she really wished she had a romantic movie and chocolate ice cream; 'Ben and Jerry's' chocolate ice cream.

Her mouth began to involuntarily water and she was dazed for a moment, before concentrating back on the T.V, which seemed to be off. She frowned. Why would it turn itself off? She hit the 'power' button on the remote many times before sighing and getting up to turn it on manually. It wouldn't turn on. Rebecca checked the back and fiddled around with some of the leads, but nothing was bringing it to life. 'Could be the electricity,' she thought to herself.

She walked to the light switch and hit it on, but they wouldn't come on either. "Great," she huffed, "my only entertainment." Not only this, but she couldn't call anybody to come look at the electricity because she was as of today, 'Missing.'

Suddenly hearing the lock click she sighed, "Oh thank God." The door opened and she started, "Dr. Crane I'm so sorry I…" Her heart stopped in her chest as the door closed and there stood a man; a man with a sack mask on his face.

Her eyes bulged out of their sockets and she shook her head. Her breathing quickened rapidly and she started stuttering random words, "N-no. H-how? What…" she glanced at the watch on her wrist. It was only three o'clock in the afternoon.

"Hello again," his voice was deep and clear.

Rebecca edged slowly backwards, "H-how did…?"

"I get in?"

She nodded.

"I found you're hiding place," he sneered, "ingenious."

Rebecca's lip quivered as she took one step after the other backwards, towards the kitchen counter. Scarecrow just stood there, making her sweat uncontrollably as his eyes were on her face. Looking backwards for something to use as a weapon, she spotted a small knife that she had used to chop onions for her chicken curry a few days back. She rushed to it and smiled crazily as she turned round to face Scarecrow who was still standing at the door.

She had the upper hand now with the blade in her hand. She edged towards the sofa, "G-get out. Or… I'll…I'll hurt you."

He blinked behind his mask and let out a small deep chuckle, "Will you now?"

Rebecca's hands started shaking as he started to walk towards her, "D-don't come any closer…"

He kept walking however and in a moment of panic, she rushed to the phone. Dropping it she cursed, "Shit." She picked it up with her shaking hands and dialed 911. "P-police…p-police," she whispered, but it wouldn't ring. As he kept advancing, she frantically hung up and dialed the number again. "Ring damn it! Ring!" she shouted desperately at the phone.

"I cut the electricity," he was only a few feet away from her now.

Dropping the phone and grasped the knife in both hands she squeaked, "L-leave me alone." She tried to sound strong and brave, but the tears were threatening to fall now.

"You're not going to cut me."

She bit her quivering lip, "Yes. I will."

Standing directly in front of her now, he shouted, "DO IT!" In a panic she slashed out, but he caught her wrist. "Good girl," he cooed.

She pulled her hand from his grip. The knife dropped to the floor and she ran towards the bedroom. "Shit… shit… shit!" she repeated as she slammed the door shut and looked for something to brace the door. She pulled the wardrobe over with all her might, but it only inched across the floor. She managed to pull it to cover the first quarter of the door.

"It's not nice to curse y'know," his voice called from behind the door as he tried to open it. The door would not open fully, but enough for him to squeeze through.

As a hand reached in, Rebecca sobbed, "Fuck off!"

She pushed at the door and his hand shot back outside. Exhausted, but relieved, she stood with her back against the door. "Keep away…" she muttered breathlessly, "Please…"

There was no sound of anything outside the door. 'Maybe he's gone,' she thought. She placed an ear against the door, but heard nothing. It seemed too good to be true so she opened the door slightly to peek out.

Wham! The door was slammed into her head and she saw stars. Shrieking loudly, she collapsed onto the floor, grasping her head with her hands. The door opened and Scarecrow forced himself in, slamming the door shut behind him. Rebecca looked up at him through her fingers and he reached an arm towards her. She frowned and wondered if he was trying to help her up, but in moments the similar sensation of being gassed took over her senses. She coughed and wheezed as the air constricted in her windpipe.

She made grunting noises as she crawled across the floor and tried to stand. Hands on the bed, she pushed herself up and turned towards her attacker.

"Ah!" she shot her hands up to her face to cover her eyes from the sight. Hairy claws touched her arm and her eyes shot open. That mask; that horrifying mask. It was full of spiders; tarantulas. All she could see behind them all was his pale blue eyes. They fell onto the floor and crawled towards her feet.

She squealed and shot up onto the bed, brushing away the invisible tormentors. She cried hysterically as he gripped her arm with his greasy, hairy hands, "Get your fucking claws off me!" she shouted.

He growled with annoyance and slapped her across the face. Hard. "What did I say about curse words?"

She was struck silent as her cheek held a stinging pain. Her voice was stuck in her throat. He hit her again, "What did I say?" he growled.

Rebecca sniffed and swallowed as the spiders leapt out at her face. "They're…n-not n-ice!" she howled.

"Correct," he removed his hands from her shoulders. "Lie down," he ordered.

She screamed and slapped the hairy creatures of her legs, not hearing the Scarecrow's command. She closed her eyes and recoiled, moving her head backwards as he leaned into her face, but she hit if off the wall behind the bed. There was a sickening crack. Shrieking with pain she didn't hear him repeating the command.

He grasped her face impatiently, causing her heart to jump in her chest. Her eyes locked onto his face and he spoke with hinted anger, "You are not listening." She let out a strangled yelp as he squeezed her face tighter, "I said lie down."

Rebecca made some frightened noises and lay down. "W-what are you … w-what are you g-going to do?"

He ignored her and reached into his back pocket. Rebecca narrowed her eyes at the fluffy thing he had retrieved. Squinting, she tried to make out what it was; a dangerous weapon or an instrument of torture perhaps?

Her hands were clamped together against the bars of the bed. She knew now that they were Alex's handcuffs; the ones the Joker threatened to use on her. Scarecrow seemed to be taking advice from the Joker's book.

Her breathing quickened and she pulled at the handcuffs, fighting a losing battle to escape from the position she was in. It was a rather…vulnerable position. Her mind took only moments to conjure up all the possibilities that he would be doing.

Scarecrow ran his hands up her stomach and across her chest and Rebecca shuddered, gasping and turning her head. "You are so beautiful," he muttered. He tilted his head awaiting a response, but she was biting her lip. He grabbed her face again and forced her to look at him, "You are not to watch any more television. Understand?"

Rebecca breathed slowly as his voice was low and drawling like a snarling monster. She couldn't see anything else now. She was just focused on his face, not at the spiders, but his eyes. It was odd, but the spiders no longer scared her. What did scare her, was the fact that she might end up being ravaged by this new terrifying monster. She had found a new fear, one more horrifying than the spiders.

When she slowly nodded Scarecrow let go of her face and continued conversation, "it is poison to a vulnerable mind." He tore at her t-shirt causing her to panic and cry out. He was unsuccessful in taking it off however, so snarling slightly with frustration he pulled off her trousers instead.

"Maybe next time…I'll take your top off before I cuff you to the bed." He stroked the inside of her leg. She twitched it out of his grasp.

"D-don't touch me Scarecrow," she stammered. She didn't like this. She didn't like it at all. Nobody had touched her in that way in a very long time and she was certain that if anything were to happen right now, she would be seriously fucked up. She had been avoiding it for ages.

He held onto her ankle with a tight grip, "Are you afraid?" She sobbed in response and he laughed, "It's not your first time is it?" She shook her head. "I would have been surprised if it was. Pretty little assistant DA. Well… not anymore…someone else is taking your job, which of course you know from watching the news."

Rebecca stared at him with even more horror. He had been watching her whilst she was watching T.V. How else would he know that she had been watching the news? "You…you aren't watching me are you?"

"Right at this moment…" he pulled her underwear down to her ankles, "I am."

She closed her eyes as she felt the cool air hit her. She tried to tell herself that it wasn't going to happen. He wasn't going to rape her. He seemed almost too smart and cunning to lower himself to such a common crime. Tears leaked down her face and settled on her neck. "You won't do this…" she summoned the strength to confront him.

He crawled over her and settled himself so he was directly above her face, "Illuminate me."

She swallowed and opened her eyes. The terror of seeing him directly at eye-point caused her body to jolt and her mind to fuzz over. The more she tried to breathe in, the more the air constricted and she couldn't stop herself, couldn't stop the feeling of fear from clouding her senses. "Its…it is…s-so c-common."

Scarecrow wiped her eyes with his finger, "What is?"

Rebecca sighed and sniffed. She didn't want to use the word, "r-r-rape."

After it escaped her lips, the air seemed a lot more still. There was no sound, but her own breathing. She stared into his eyes and he stared back, with an almost understanding. "So? You are now confronting your fear."

"I'm n-not afraid." Who was she kidding? She was so terrified that the drugs he had used on her weren't recreating the horrors they once were. She assumed that is why the spiders had disappeared.

He pulled her t-shirt up above her head, so she could only see the inside of the soft material. He pinched her sides, "are you afraid now?" She started shaking which proved it. "Don't worry…I think most women fear it. The feeling of being completely out of control." She heard him pull down his zipper and felt the material of his trousers brush her knees as they fell to the floor. She tried to picture the scene in her head. He was obviously in his boxers now. That is…if he hadn't taken them off already.

She shrieked with frustration and pulled at the handcuffs again. 'It's too early in the day for this,' she thought miserably as she felt his bare thigh against her own. "P-please…" she sobbed one last time.

He stroked her breasts through her bra, "I can't stop now." She knew he was right. She thought Scarecrow seemed a little different, but he was a man nonetheless. "It's been so long…" he whispered. Rebecca was unsure who he was talking about. She assumed he meant that it had been a long time for _her_, but of course he could have been talking about himself. How could she possibly know?

Rebecca was interrupted from her thoughts as she felt him enter her, forcefully. Screaming and tightening herself caused him to moan slightly. She heard it and it was enough to cause her to start sobbing all over again. She was just so sick of being used.

As the pain continued to erupt inside her, there was something else. A certain pleasure that she couldn't place her finger on. It was obvious she wasn't enjoying herself, but her body seemed to be reacting. "STOP!" she cried out at him, but as he said earlier, he couldn't possibly stop now. Her skin became moist with sweat and her throat became sore from screaming and the feeling of something bursting inside her became more and more prominent. Before long, she found herself moaning with a sick enjoyment. These were strangled with the sobs, but her lips were definitely yearning for more. He bucked her with even more enthusiasm and before long he came inside her.

She hardly felt him leaving her, she felt so numb. Confused and furious with herself, she was still shaking. What the hell had just happened?

She heard rustling and then the t-shirt was pulled back from her eyes. He was fully dressed as if nothing had happened. If she were to see through the mask however, she would see how flushed he really was.

Scarecrow unlocked the handcuffs and stood back as she ripped her hands free. She pulled up her underwear and wiped her face with the back of her hand. She then allowed her head to droop so she was looking at the floor. She was completely ripped of her dignity…and she enjoyed it.

Completely bewildered, Rebecca rubbed her arms. It was still daylight. Why…why had he chosen to come to her so early in the day?

"I'm not finished yet." She didn't bother to comprehend what he meant by that. Instead she stood up and walked towards the door.

He placed a hand in the doorway, "Where are you going?"

"To get a drink of water," she didn't look at him, but she was aware when he had moved to let her past. She felt his presence behind her; obviously he didn't trust her to get a glass of water on her own. He had nothing to worry about; she wasn't going to try to escape. She didn't know why she had held on so long. Perhaps she was hopeful that Batman would save her.

She gulped down the water and poured another glass, "What's next?"

Scarecrow stared at her. Maybe there was no 'next.' He was exhausted and so was she. It wouldn't be any fun at all torturing her if she was just willing to let it pass. "You're tired?"

Rebecca nodded and closed her eyes.

"Perhaps it was too early," he adjusted his sleeve. He reached out an arm and turned her so she was facing him. Then, he gassed her again, but this time with a sleeping agent. She fell to the floor unconscious and he made his way to the sofa. Sitting down, he pondered why he didn't seem able to do anything more today. Was it he was spending too much time with her? Yes, it very well could be. Maybe…it was time for Dr. Crane to disappear.

*****

**I think this is the fastest I've ever updated!! =D Well thanks to Cybernetic Mango and PurgatoryNymphe for your reviews =D Means a lot- It might be a while until i update again. I'm going on holidays for five days, then there is a few days break before i'm away again for another five days. I'll try my best- Xo**


	11. Rage

**AN:** **I bet you thought i abandoned you all! No way! =]**

The Joker was in a cheery mood when he awoke that morning. He buttoned up his vest whilst whistling. He didn't normally wear all his clothes to bed, but he was so exhausted the night before that he could only be bothered to take off his shoes and unbutton his vest. He turned to the figure sitting slumped against his bed. It was a sleeping figure; well unconscious.

He crouched down to it and pushed its blonde locks out of its bruised face. "Alexandra-ah," he cooed, "Wakey wakey." She didn't wake, but she did sniffle and breathe in slowly.

He admired his work. Alex's face was not a bloody pulp, which took him great restraint. Her face was still smeared with the carnival makeup and the only blood he drew from her was that from the back of her skull, the grazes on her knees and the swollen lip. It was disappointing, but he would not continue to beat her while she wasn't conscious. Where was the fun in that? She wouldn't be able to taste her own blood. Blood was fascinating. It is so…red.

"It does annoy me, when pets don't do as their told…" he cocked his head to the side, grinned manically and left the room. Alex slept on, her eyelids fluttering slightly from flying in and out of consciousness. For a few moments, the only sound was that of her slow breathing. That is…until the sound of running water came from the bathroom, along with the Joker's suppressed laughter.

He appeared again, this time with excitement written all over his face. "Up you get…" he shifted her and bent down so she fell over his shoulder. He made his way to the bathroom with her unconscious figure and gave a manic laugh as he dropped her into a bath full of cold water.

Alex's eyes shot open and she thrashed wildly, panicking as the water sucked at her skin. She yelped and flung herself over the side of the bath, her face meeting with the solid floor. Shaking, shivering and soaked to the skin, she stared at the Joker who was looming over her, for some kind of explanation.

"You were uh…unconscious and needing of a bath.." he laughed.

She shot him a glare and hugged herself so fiercely that she nearly knocked the wind out of herself. "I-I-I don't s-see w-what's funny," she stammered angrily.

The Joker pouted, "Really? I never knew someone could be so cold!" Bursting into hysterics again and enthusiastically stamping his foot caused Alex to make a grunting noise. He regained composure, "Well don't just sit there! Were having a visitor!"

"I-I can h-hardly move."

"Let me help you then," he grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and threw her into the bedroom.

She landed with a painful thump and immediately took up the fetal position to warm herself. "T-thank you," she said sarcastically. How many times in the one day could someone land facedown on the floor?

"Your welcome," his voice was sickening. He was obviously in a cheery mood. "Now get changed."

Alex stared at him as if he had just sprouted three heads, "I have n-no other clothes."

"What do you think these are for?" he gestured to a bag lying beside the bathroom door before picking it up and throwing it in her general direction. The bag landed at her feet.

Stretching out an arm was painful for her. It felt as if her bones would snap any second. She grasped the bag quickly and hugged it to her chest, fully aware of the Joker's piercing gaze. Thankfully for her, he soon lost interest and entered the bathroom, leaving her to change in peace.

Curious, she emptied the bag onto the floor spilling out the clothes and accessories. By accessories, I mean makeup and jewellery. Alex was surprised; she expected freaky clothing like his own, but there were jeans and a couple of t-shirts, socks and flat shoes. Of course there was a skirt thrown in there, but it was really quite…cute.

"Nice shirt…" she muttered, holding a black t-shirt against herself. It had a small hint of a turtle-neck, but a red ribbon threaded through the material made it less prominent. She shred her clothing, including her bra and knickers (double checking the room to make sure she was alone) and hooked on the black lace underwear set. "Sweet…" she admired her impressive breasts **(how narcissist)** before pulling on the top and jeans. Her arms were a weird purple colour from the cold, but that would change when she warmed herself up a bit. Dry clothing will have helped.

"What do you think?" the Joker walked in, "Did my men choose clothing to your…uh liking."

That explained it. "Yeah." Obviously some of his men were married, had a girlfriend or maybe even had kids. They knew what women would like, clothing-wise.

The Joker cupped his ear and leant forward expectantly. "Thank you," Alex chimed (with no hint of sarcasm whatsoever) and he straightened himself before flashing a Cheshire-worthy grin.

He pointed towards the bedroom door, "shall we go?"

Alex frowned. She hadn't been out of the door since she had settled into the bedroom. In fact, the only other room she had been in at all was the basement. "Go?"

"You honestly think that I uh…bring people into my bedroom?"

"No," of course she didn't mean that. She was simply wondering if he was sincere about bringing her with him to whatever room he _did_ meet people in. "So which room are we going to?"

"The sitting room will do."

'He has a sitting room?' Alex queried, 'How big is this place?' She followed him out of the room and down the concrete steps, which she vaguely remembered walking up before. They walked past a circular room which had some chairs and two TVs. Getting a glance at one of the screens, she noticed the basement was being emptied of all the boxes. She guessed the other television screens would show the different parts of the house…apartment…warehouse…place, meaning that the Joker had cameras placed throughout. There was the chance of an escape, thrown out the window. If she went anywhere without permission she'd have the Joker's thugs on her like flies.

"In here," he tapped her shoulder as she stared into the circular room and had stopped walking. She quickly asserted herself and walked away from the room and down a corridor that she had never spotted before. Perhaps, corridor was not the correct word for it. It was more like a…tunnel, but very widely spaced. If it was a corridor, Alex understood that there would be pictures or paintings or the walls would be covered in wallpaper, but it was dreary and bleak. Where there wasn't brick, there was black. It was dull, boring and very surprising, again assuming that the Joker had better and more colourful taste. Well, whatever it was, it was quite long.

"Is that an extension?" Alex pointed back at where they had left. Nearing the end of the tunnel, there was more light and this light enabled her to see the difference in brick work. The upcoming bricks were defiantly much older than the others.

"Yes, kind of…underground."

"Underground?!" she was shocked, "But I could see out of the bathroom window."

The Joker stopped in his tracks and cocked an eyebrow, "could you now?"

"Well no, I couldn't see out of it, but there was a window there!"

"Yes." Explaining nothing, he continued walking until he reached another stairway going up. As Alex walked up these stairs she agreed that they were underground, but why put windows up if you can't see out of them? "Would you have guessed?" the Joker asked, almost as if he could read her thoughts.

"No," she admitted.

He gave her a knowing look. Ingenious.

By the time Alex reached the top of the stairs, she was panting for breath. She couldn't believe that the Joker had to walk so far to get to his bedroom; Scratch that, she couldn't believe that he could carry her whilst she was doped up on sleeping pills down to the basement. "Is there another way to get to the basement? I mean… why bother going all this way to go to bed? I'd collapse half-way."

The Joker chuckled slightly, "Of course there is another way, but I uh…wouldn't show you it." He obviously suspected that she would attempt an escape sometime soon hence why he was bringing her the longest way out.

They turned right and straight ahead of them was a large room with a table, chairs, sofas and a T.V. When they entered this room, Alex was pleasantly surprised. The walls were purple and cream, well… the cream had sort of disintegrated with graffiti and the likes. There was a long sofa right in front of the plasma T.V and there was a man sitting on it. He had a head of brown, slightly floppy hair and his face was pale from what she could see. Supported on his nose was a pair of glasses and behind them were a pair of blue…

"You again," Alex hissed more to herself than anyone. Why did he keep showing up?

Dr. Crane obviously heard her as he turned around, "Ah Joker! It's about time."

"Well y'know. I enjoy a walk every now and then."

"Did you have to take so long?" he looked in Alex's direction, "you brought _her_?"

"Well yes _Doc-tor. _It may be of her _concern-ah_."

Dr. Crane looked as if he were to protest, but changed his mind quickly, "shall we get started then?"

The Joker and Dr. Crane both sat down on the sofa, but when Alex followed suit the Joker pushed her off. He laughed, "I don't _th-ink_ so. This is for us businessmen only sweet heart."

"Where will I sit then?" Alex grumbled, standing up from the floor and rubbing dirt off her rump.

The Joker stared at her for a moment as if in thought, "the floor?" he shrugged, chuckling to himself.

Alex flushed a furious and embarrassing red before setting herself on the floor again. She ignored Jonathan Crane's piercing gaze and the Joker's fell laughs and concentrated solely on the piece of old cardboard that lay by her feet.

"The girl no longer trusts me," Dr. Crane stated. Alex's head whipped up to stare at him.

The Joker was grinning gleefully, "It's taken her long enough. So how did she realize that…the _doc-tor_ wasn't truly on her side."

"She watched the news. She saw that she was missing."

"Silly Doctor Crane eh?" the Joker mocked, "How did you deal with it?"

"I didn't," he flushed giving away his incapability to lie.

The Joker didn't ask for the details, but he thought he knew exactly which way Scarecrow had decided to deal with it, or was it Crane? He had no way of telling. "Are you going to keep going back to her?" he sneered.

Alex stared at Dr. Crane with intensity and he looked back at her, uncomfortable with the way her green eyes were piercing him. "No…" he shook his head gravely, "once more perhaps, but after that…no."

Alex stood catching the attention of both the Joker and Jonathan, "What have you been doing to my sister?" she whispered. They didn't speak so she raised her voice slightly, "have you hurt her?"

"Yes."

They stared at each other. The Joker seemed to be an outsider in a completely different world. At that moment, Alex hated him. She hated him for deceiving Rebecca, for hurting Rebecca, and for poisoning his mind. He stirred everything up, the healing relationship that the two sisters seemed to have. Anger flared within her, one which she had never unleashed before.

She slapped him across the face. Hard. Dr. Crane's pale palette glowed. "You leave her alone," she hissed darkly. Avoiding the Joker's radiating dominant glare, she walked away from them and sat elsewhere in the room.

An hour later, the two unlikely allies were still talking; making plans Alex suspected. As she tried to concentrate the Joker's men sat behind her and laughed with each other. They jeered behind her back and said cruel, dirty disgusting things about her. She tried to block out their voices as they were making it impossible to hear what the Joker and Dr. Crane were conversing about. "Please shut up," she muttered under her breath.

The Joker and Dr. Crane stood up. Her breath hitched in her throat when she heard one word, 'party.' What they meant by 'party', she had no idea. Perhaps it was some kind of code name.

The Doctor walked towards the door and turned to stare at her. She glared back with an emotionless stare causing him to fiddle with the cuff of his shirt with what she expected to be anxiety. After a few moments he left and the Joker walked casually over to her. "Y'know usually I wouldn't mind seeing the doctor a bit ruffled up," he remarked, "But I want to be the one who does it…" He leant in close, "Understand?"

She nodded. He turned to leave the room and he beckoned her to follow. The next ten minutes was a blur. She kept her eyes on the Joker's purple jacket as he led her back to the bedroom. Something wasn't right within her. She felt dazed, but sharp. She could smell the faint stench of gunpowder wafting from his presence in front of her. Even though it was dull and getting darker every second, her eyes were adjusted and fixed on the purple suit. Her senses were slightly high. She could feel the remainder of the pain on her arms from the ice cold water the Joker had dropped her in earlier.

'This is insane,' she thought to herself as she entered the bedroom. She walked straight to the bed and sat down, not entirely aware of the Joker's gaze on her face and body.

As was said before, there was something not quite right about her and the Joker was well aware. "Are you angry at my…uh…_friend?_" he posed a good question. Was she angry? Yes and no. The very thought of Dr. Crane brought her blood to boiling point, but still she sat apparently calm.

The Joker removed his jacket and placed it on the back of a chair, following this was his tie. "Are you going to answer me?" it was a rhetorical question, he already knew the answer. He grinned, "If you must know why you feel so… dizzy…it is because he gassed you before he left." Her eyes remained blank.

"Why?" she questioned, "As a form of control?"

"Maybe," he didn't seem convincing, "I don't think he uh… likes you very much." Alex would have loved to roll her eyes at this comment, but they wouldn't…roll. The Joker found it rather amusing that she couldn't show any expression. "I was just thinking… do you uh…hate Dr. Crane?"

Suspicion flared in Alex's mind, "Why do you ask?"

He gritted his teeth, "Just answer."

She was taken aback a bit by this sudden change of tone, "Yeah…I do."

"How much?" he asked in a sing-song voice.

Narrowing her forehead muscles to what should have been a frown didn't quite work so instead she bit her lip. She really wanted to know where this was going, "I hate him a lot."

He slowly smiled, "He told your sister to take your apartment." Alex opened her mouth to say 'I know', but he was still speaking, "he refused an interview with you because he didn't like journalists. He called up your agency and told the manager to replace you. Not to mention he supplied me with multiple drugs to keep you sedated and asleep if I wanted, which I don't. I prefer my prey alive when I decide to play with it," he grinned.

The familiar sensation of a million bolts of lightening hitting the back of eyes became apparent. Anger filled her like she had never felt it before; well she had, just once. This was when Dr. Crane's face appeared in her eyes, sitting on the sofa as innocent as a lamb, but really… "Where is this going?" she asked through gritted teeth. Her face was in excruciating pain, frozen into a constant dazed look which did not reflect what she was feeling on the inside.

It took her a few moments to realize that the Joker was laughing at her. He knew what was going on inside her, the pain that she was going through behind her frozen mask. Her brain just did not want to expose itself and this was due to some freaky drug that Dr. Crane had decided to gas her with. 'Well, that is** not** on…' she thought furiously to herself. Who did he think he was?

"You… are …so angry…" he spluttered, "But you can't…even…show…it!" He wiped a tear from his eye, "What's more is…for a while he poisoned your sister's mind…so that she would trust him!" At this point, he was in fits. She had no idea whether or not he was doing this purposefully to infuriate her even more, but she had had enough.

"WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONVERSATION?" she shouted. The Joker's laugh caught in his throat and his face regained some composure.

"You have no idea how bizarre you look," he chuckled, "shouting at me like _that-ah_, but without even showing any uh…emotion." She sighed with frustration; clearly this was getting nowhere. He leaned on the back of the chair on his elbows, "tell me _now_, how much do you hate the doctor?"

Alex looked at him as if he had just sprouted four heads. She just…_told_ him. She breathed in deeply, "A lot. With every fibre in my being. When his face appears on my mind, I just need to…explode. Thinking about all the things he has done causes flames of utmost hate flicker at the back of my eyes. It hurts. I want to…" she looks around for some inspiration, "hurt him."

"Sounds like you have a problem," he smiled, "and it just so happens that **I** have the solution."

"You…you do?" she blinked.

"Yes!" he leapt from the chair like a child that has just spotted a butterfly. She nearly jumped off the bed herself, "why don't you just…'hurt him?'" Her heart fluctuated. For one moment she thought he was going to say something useful. She shrugged her shoulders and looked hopeless. His mood dampened slightly, "come on. I'm not going to beg you. Join me!"

"What?" What the hell did he mean by _that_? "Join you?"

"Yes. I can make his life a living misery…if I feel like it."

Alex stared at him. Minutes passed. Her thoughts were ticking over in her brain. Was he actually serious? Or was this some sort of sick joke? She opened her mouth and erupted into harsh laughter. "Why?" she asked in disbelief, "Why would you want to be stuck with me?"

"It's not about what I want. It's about making things that I do…more interesting. You might not realize it by now, but I get bored very quickly. _Verrry_ quickly…" his voice lowered into a sort-of growl for those last two words. "Your anger could be quite _useful-ah_."

'So you're trying to tell me this was…almost selfless?' she thought, 'I don't believe it.' She almost blurted this out loud, but stopped herself. "I'm not sure what to say." The Joker tutted, growing impatient. It wasn't _that_ unbelievable was it? Ever since he brought he back, he had been contemplating over what uses she could have. There was the interview and there was an obvious one, but he didn't enjoy being obvious. Yes, he might one day stoop to pleasure himself using her, but when he would it would be spontaneous and…_not _today.

It could be extremely interesting for Alex to actually be by the Joker's side when he was performing one of his extravagant crimes, not to mention it would be better than the sheer boredom of sitting in his room all day. Before she had time to think of the possible dangers and troubles that she could land herself in, she had already blurted out an enthusiastic, "yes!" and the Joker had already nodded, smiled and licked his lips in response.

****

**Sorry it took so long. School has started etc etc… and I haven't been 'allowed on the computer.' Stupid I know! You do realize I've been wanting to do this from the start? Lol. Was it bad? Please review, I try to take every comment into account- xo**


	12. Burning sanity and Miss Revenge

_There was darkness all around, crushing her, swallowing her… suffocating her. Breathing was hard. She couldn't see her hand in front of her face. She had been gassed. She knew the feeling by now__, but this was so much stronger, so much more intense. Her nostrils were burning with the overpowering smell of sweat. Her own sweat. She realized then, that her skin was moist with fear. She had a buzzing sensation in her head. She could hear nothing except this buzz. Rebecca attempted to cry out, but her mouth was dry and her lips were cracked. The hairs stood up on her arms and she shivered at the cold gush that blew down her spine. The dark seemed to move, envelope more and more. It felt like very much like death._

_The buzzing in her ears disappeared. Her head cleared itself from the fuzziness. As much as this should relieve her, it didn't. It was eerily quiet now. Her breath came in ragged gasps and her teeth chattered with the damp cold. She froze instinctively. She licked her bottom lip. Something was wrong. She was being watched. Someone was there, in the gloom._

_Rebecca started to scream, but before she could do so a light switched on and revealed a face right in front of hers. It was Scarecrow. His sack mask was fuming with smoke and fire. His pale blue eyes were now narrowed in a deathly glare. She shrieked wildly, but nothing came out of her mouth. She went to slap him. He caught her wrist. She panicked and tried to wrench it from his hand, but his grip was stronger than she expected. Rebecca flung her other arm at him helplessly, but he caught it aswell. She was face to face with him, her body pressed against his. The smoke was blowing into her agape mouth. She spluttered and coughed. It slid down her throat and into her lungs. Scarecrow gave a malicious laugh before pushing her arms back with enormous strength. He released his grip and she fell, still choking on the smoke as it spread from one lung to another. She landed on her back, knocking whatever air was left in her body straight out of her._

Rebecca's eyes shot open. She was coughing, smoke had filled her lungs. She squinted as her eyes stung. Help. Excruciating heat flickered up her body. Flames… everywhere.

There was no fire.

The apartment was intact and sat in a frozen silence. Tears were streaming from her eyes as she clutched her chest and gasped for air. She snapped her head in one direction and then the other, unable to believe that she there was no immediate danger. "Oh…my…god…" she rasped, "I thought I was…dying…" Her heart pounded furiously in her chest as if it too was convinced that her time had come. Sweat lined her forehead and stuck to her back. Her body was tingling as well. She truly believed that the apartment and herself along with it, had caught fire.

She crawled over to the sofa and pulled herself onto it, still shaking with shock and fear. She appreciated the cool comfort of the cushions. "It was just a dream," she whispered, but her body would not calm itself. It was still in alert. "This…is so…fucked," her lips felt dry when she spoke. She was seriously dehydrated.

Her brain remained blank for several minutes, but then many thoughts pushed themselves in her mind all at once. She couldn't even concentrate on one long enough to think about it, as there was another….and another… More and more questions flew in front of her eyes.

Eyes. She frowned. **His **eyes. She knew them… really well. She had taken a point of staring into them in her dream and this wasn't because of how terrifying they were. She recognized them, most definitely.

She wracked her brain, but it was too painful to think. "It was just a dream," she repeated to herself, willing her body to calm so she could figure it out, "it was just…a…dream."

"More like a nightmare."

Her eyes widened. Was she hearing voices now? No, she recognized that voice too.

Rebecca groaned and rolled off the sofa. "Get out…" she tried to shout, but it almost inaudible.

"No, I don't think I will."

'_Ignorant little…'_ She crawled to the kitchen, literally. She pulled herself up by the kitchen counter. Dr. Crane stood by the door, looking as smug as ever. '_Why?_' "Who…are they?" She was referring to the two bulky men who were pouring out a yellow-ish substance onto the ground. "What are they doing?"

"These are friends of mine."

She bent down and snatched the large kitchen knife that she had dropped the night before. They certainly didn't look like friends of his. They pushed past her to get into the living room. Here, they poured the liquid on the sofas, the T.V. and the carpet. Her nostrils filled with the strong fumes of petrol. Keeping the knife solely by her side she questioned, "What are they doing?", more panicked this time.

He dodged the question. "What were you dreaming about?" he had moved closer to her without her even realizing it. Her grip on the knife tightened. The distance between them had gotten close enough. She could see that his eyes held that unusual spark.

His eyes. Rebecca felt like she had just been kicked in the stomach. Vomit crawled up her throat. Her grip was so tight on the knife that it was shaking. "I-I-I'd like for you to l-leave," she stammered.

"Not before my business is concluded," he smirked a knowing smile, "so you smelled the petrol from in here…" he gestured to the hallway, "and the drug used that as stimulation to your nightmare. Interesting effect."

How did he know what she was dreaming about? "I-I didn't smell any petrol."

"You did. You didn't pick up on it when you woke because your fear i.e. the hallucinogen had clouded your senses."

Rebecca took several deep breaths, "then why can I smell it now?"

"Are you still afraid?" he stared at her expressionless. Of course he knew she was afraid. He was just toying with her. Just as she was about to repeat the question he answered it, "This is a literal fear. The drug has worn off you. Your senses are normal. There is no enhancement, but you _are_ still afraid which means…I've become your phobia." He let out a sadistic laugh. He seemed extremely proud of himself.

Rebecca's breath hitched in her throat at his drawling laugh. "W-why did you come back?"

"I already told you, to finish business. I was actually going to tell you who I really was, but you seemed to have figured that out for yourself. Took you long enough," he moved even closer to her, placing his hand on the counter.

She stared at it, "You're Scarecrow."

"I'm Scarecrow," he repeated.

Her gaze shifted to his eyes. She remembered being so enthralled by how cold they seemed. "Why?" she had to know.

"DON'T!" he shouted. Rebecca took a step back at the violence in his voice. "Everyone asks that. Why are you doing this? Why are you so cruel?" he mocked her, "but this is who I am."

"I didn't mean…why are you doing this…" she tried to regain some composure, "I mean, why me?"

"I met you at the same time I had hatched a plan to unleash myself. It was merely coincidence, but I remember thinking that you would be amusing." No, this was not the whole truth. She couldn't believe it was.

"I thought we had something…unique," she whispered. She believed that there was chemistry between them and it confused her at first because it was nothing like she felt for Harvey. When she was with Dr. Crane something felt…in place.

"We do. I've never concentrated my efforts so hard on a victim before." The word 'victim' slashed through her heart. Her fear seemed to disappear. He made her believe that he _liked_ her. He _used_ her.

Dr. Crane gestured to the men in the room behind her. They appeared by his side. "I am a busy man. Alas Gotham awaits me! Goodbye Rebecca." Her eyes snapped to his fingers which she noticed was holding a box of matches.

"No!" she screamed and flung herself at Dr. Crane, the blade tight in her grasp, but fast as lightening one of his 'friends' blocked him and the knife plummeted into his gut. Rebecca gasped and fell back. The man shrieked and fell to his knees. Dr. Crane used this distraction to light a match and throw it onto the chair. He ran from the room, beckoning the other thug to follow.

The chair enveloped in flames. It was so fast that Rebecca barely had time to register what was happening. The man she stabbed was still on his knees and cupped his wound in a maternal gesture, but the flames streaked towards him fast and he hadn't even realized. "Wait!" she reached out a hand, but it was too late. They seared up his back, burning through his clothes and skin. The sound he made was ear-piercing. He was screaming in absolute agony. She covered her ears with her hands. It was something that would be seen in a horror film. The flames reached his head and singed his hair straight down to his scalp. He stood up, still shrieking fit-to-burst and ran from the room.

She realized that she was screaming even though she wasn't harmed. She stopped abruptly as she heard sirens coming her way, but they sounded so distant.

She stood just before the light fell, tearing parts of the ceiling with it. It landed with a fiery crash just centimeters in front of her feet. "I need to get out of here!" she screamed to herself, but it caused her to erupt into a spluttering cough. She carelessly avoided cushions which had fallen onto the ground and were setting fire to the beautiful plum carpet of the living room. She felt dizzy. Her eyes stung from the smoke. She made her way towards the door, but her dizziness was causing her footing to be clumsy. She tripped and fell to the floor. She felt unbelievable searing pain in her arm, but she must have hit her head because as of this moment, her limbs felt heavy and there was a blackness shrouding around her.

*****

'_You killed him!' _

Rebecca's mind awoke, but her eyes remained closed. She could hear voices debating, several of them men arguing over something. _Over what?_ It wasn't important. All she wanted to do was sleep, in the blissful warmth of the sheets wrapped around her, safe from the outside world and all its problems.

"Get her awake." A gentle hand touched her shoulder, but she frowned and shrugged it away. Why couldn't people just leave her alone? For once?

"Rebecca," someone whispered urgently into her ear, "Please, wake up."

If it wasn't for the recognizable gentle tone in this person's voice, Rebecca would not have opened her eyes. Everything was bright. White. Light.

"Harvey?" she cleared her throat nervously as faces appeared. She could see several policemen, one being the commissioner Gordon, Harvey Dent, a doctor and two nurses. "Hospital?" she murmured, "why?"

Harvey smiled, but was pushed out of the way by a stern-looking doctor, "Miss. Mc Mahon…" Rebecca flinched; she _hated_ being called that, "You have received serious burns to your left arm and a serious intoxication of fire fumes. Now… your lungs have been cleared of any methane and carbon dioxide that you breathed in and we've bandaged your arm up… after three days of alcohol cleansing and stitching. Unfortunately though, it will be still be badly scarred."

His words were drawled out slowly so that she could understand, but even then it took her a few moments to drink in what he had just said, "Three days?" She looked at her left arm and true enough it was bandaged from her wrist up to her elbow, "The burns were that severe huh?"

Gordon spoke, "Rebecca, if Batman had not found you as quickly as he did, they would have been a lot worse. You are just lucky that you are in one piece."

"I wouldn't call this 'one piece' Gordon," Harvey snapped, "If the police were any better at their job, this would not have happened in the first place!"

"Ahem!" the Doctor cleared his throat, "For obvious reasons, psychiatric therapy and examination is essential to get you back into your healthy state of mind after the trauma." He motioned for a nurse to come to the bedside, "We'll organize for a drop-in appointment at Arkham for as soon as possible."

"Now wait just a minute…" Harvey started.

"I'm fine," Rebecca spoke a little too sharply.

The doctor smiled at her for the first time, but it was not a kind, warm smile, but a patronizing smile that reeked of professional arrogance, "I'm sure you are, but we need to be sure. Being held hostage is a very stressful, traumatizing situation."

The word 'hostage' hit her like a slap in the face and suddenly she became extremely defiant, "And you would know that would you?!" her voice was filled with rage.

"Yes," he stated simply, "I've booked you in for the 11th. That is this Friday. You will be accompanied by a police escort, kindly provided by Commissioner Gordon free of charge." Gordon nodded.

"I'm not going to Arkham." The men in the room shared a knowing look. "What?"

"You'll have to otherwise you'll be placed on trial," a policeman stated. Harvey sighed and Gordon looked awkward.

"For what?"

"Arson."

Harvey started to protest, "We've already discussed this…"

"There is no proof of Scarecrow setting fire to the apartment!" the Doctor shouted.

Rebecca was shocked into silence and allowed the arguing to start again.

"Keep your mind on your job and leave the scene to the police!" Harvey snapped, "Besides we have the word of Batman."

"Who of course, we can't place our full trust in at the minute because of him being on the wanted list aswell as Scarecrow. And not to mention the three to four tips that have come in say she done it," Gordon spoke matter-of-factly, it was obvious that he did not like what he was saying, "I'm sorry Rebecca, but it would be better to do as the law abides under the offense of arson and influence from psychological trauma. It will take a while for the force to find valid evidence to support the 'arson' theory so just be thankful that it is only a drop-in. You still have your freedom."

Rebecca's eyes appeared out of focus and her chest was heaving rapidly. People were so… naive. As she spoke, she zoned out, "You're supposed to be the commissioner" her eyes flicked to Jim Gordon, "I didn't set fire to my sister's apartment."

"I believe you," Gordon's voice had gone soft.

"I mean, why would I burn my own sister's apartment?" Well at least three people believed her: Harvey, Batman and Gordon. Three of the most important and influential people in Gotham, but what would the rest of the public think when it comes out into the newspapers? She could almost picture the headline, **"Ex-DA assistant rage psychos out on sister's apartment."**

Life, as it seemed had well and truly fucked her up.

****

**Rebecca's POV**

**Friday 11****th**** October**

Walking through the heavy chained gates of Arkham Asylum was one of the most nerve-wrecking things I have ever had to do. The aspect of being free from Scarecrow and Dr. Crane and Alex's apartment seemed to evaporate at one glance at the place. The whole atmosphere seemed frustrated and disturbed, disrupted and… sick? I hadn't even entered the building yet, but I was receiving several chills down my spine and I felt sick to the stomach. I, of course was with a police escort y'know being a suspect of the burning of my sister's apartment. What a load of utter-

"Go on in," the policeman I nicknamed 'Stache' told me (he had a large sausage-shaped moustache on his upper lip) I realized that I had stopped right in front of the huge red door. Red. Why the colour of blood? There were four guards standing on the same platform as me, guarding the entrance to the asylum. They looked at me as if I was diseased. I convinced myself that I was not being committed. Not yet.

I remember pushing the door open. I remember practically being shoved along the yellow corridors towards the main office. I remember saying my name to the blonde-haired woman and her handing me a slip. I remember being told to take a left turn past the bathrooms. I remember how my palms were sweating as I staggered towards Dr. Cross' room in a dizzied frenzy. I remember speaking a rough 'Hello' to him and following him through the door.

"Sit down," his voice was smooth, softer than I imagined, but it still did not calm me. I did as he requested and sat down on the sturdy, pine chair that was in front of his desk. He looked at Stache and frowned, "I'm sorry but for confidential reasons I cannot allow you to stay." He smiled at me, "We'll be fine on our own won't we?"

I nodded glumly. Secretively I didn't want Stache to leave. I had just remembered that Dr. Crane was a psychiatrist at this very asylum and now, I was extremely weary of doctors.

"Listen…" when I heard the door closing I finally spoke, "I don't know what you have been told, but-"

"Oh don't worry what _I've_ been told," he pulled out a pen and a notebook, "I'm unmasking the truth per say. Just tell the truth."

I nodded, but the smile on my lips wasn't true to my feelings. In fact the hands placed on my lap were shaking and there was a huge lump in my throat. I was not looking forward to recalling my experiences. I opened my mouth and closed it again. I felt numb.

"Go on," he prompted me, "I won't interrupt."

"I can't," I stared at him, "I'm sorry."

"You don't realize the importance of telling me everything Miss Mc Mahon."

"I can't." I'm not sure what was going through my head when I stood up and ran from the room, but I can tell you being carried back in by Stache wasn't pretty. I shrieked like a mad woman and Dr. Cross just sat there, staring with a blank expression. He seen this shit and more every day. As I scratched and snarled at Stache like a wild animal my head was buzzing with fear and frustration. I was basically thrown back onto the chair and greeted with a knowing smile from the psychiatrist.

"Please," he poised his pen to his piece of paper and waited for me to speak, "The sooner you talk, the sooner you get to go home. Just remember, I can wait all day."

*****

Stache was told to stand guard outside my apartment. So the police were all convinced that I was going to set fire to it in a psychotic rage. I wiped the tears out of my eyes. It had been an extremely stressful day. I was treated like dirt in that Asylum. It was evident that it would be too upsetting to talk about my nightmares and feelings and…Scarecrow, but no… I was still probed and prompted to let it all out. You know the saying, "talking makes it all better," well not if it's forced. In fact pulling all that krap from the 'forgetting stage' of my mind just made it a hell of a lot worse.

"Well good night officer," I spat sarcastically, "You must be so proud of what you do."

He winked, "yes m'am" and shut the front door behind him.

I was alone, almost. I turned to my freezing cold apartment. I still hadn't bought any oil from when I got back from the hospital on Tuesday. It had been so long since I was here. Days? Weeks? Oh who cared, it was freezing and the thought of curling up in a nice, warm bed could have made me drop on the spot.

I gave a wide yawn before walking slowly to my bedroom. Maybe tonight I'd fall asleep in my clothes. I just could not be bothered getting changed. I collapsed on the bed, "Just let me sleep!" I screamed into my pillow. Yes I was aware that I was alone. No I wasn't going crazy like everybody thought. I just had a lot of frustration on my chest.

I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling. My hands made their way to my eyes and rubbed furiously before turning the switch off by the bed and enveloping the room in a dim light. There was no way I'd be sleeping in the dark anymore.

*****

**Alex's P.O.V **

My eyes were glued to the T.V. screen as news about my sister's rescue gradually unfolded. Batman rescued her, or so it was implied. The news reader wasn't being very clear about who exactly it was, but sheesh does she think that we are stupid? Hello, "an unexpected and unappreciated rescuer." Who else could it have been?

"Ah, Batsy found her then," the unmistakable voice of the Joker came from behind me. It sent chills down my spine. I turned to face him. It hadn't hit me yet that I was his accomplice. He was still an extremely intimidating man. _'And he kidnapped you, not to mention used you as a human punch bag.'_ I was well aware.

A picture appeared on-screen of Rebecca at a time when we were camping together in Canada. My heart wrenched with pain and regret pinched at my sides. I just wanted to go to her, to see if she was alright, regardless of what she had done.

"I've got something for you-ah." Something was thrown onto my lap and I jumped slightly. I frowned when I saw what it was. It was a costume; purple and black split in half. There were hexagonal shapes, black ones on the purple side, purple on the black side, and a black-masquerade-styled mask. He dropped a pair of laced boots beside me, "These will have to do as footwear."

I shook my head negatively and pushed the costume off my lap. I was having doubts. Seriouuuusss doubts.

Once I heard him click his tongue I knew that I had pushed his patience. "Alexandra-ah…"

"_Here you see the remains of Alex Mc Mahon's apartment…" _a camera onscreen showed the wreckage that used to be my home. I froze with shock. "My…my apartment." I stared at the screen, "What the fuck happened to it?" Tears sprung to my eyes.

"_Rebecca sprayed oil on every surface before setting it alight. According to police…" _The news reader held her hand to her ear before smiling with her teeth and apologizing, _"my apologies to Gotham's Jim Gordon who does not wish this information to be out in the open until it can be supported by more proof. I just hope the people at home forget what they heard about this 'arson' incident." _

Too late. The damage was done. Rebecca set my apartment on fire. One of the last things of my normal life burned in flames. My blood boiled. "Why would she do that?" I choked on my own rage.

The Joker plunked on the sofa beside me. "Maybe uh…she's just lost i-**t**," he raked his purple clad fingers through his slimy hair.

Yes I was angry before, but this was it. The final straw. The fuel to my new role. I thought that I could forgive and forget, that I had made a mistake by agreeing to the Joker's proposal, but now…

I grabbed the costume and boots off of the sofa and stalked off to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. A new Alex was going to be revealed, one fuelled by revenge and Rebecca was in trouble. Deep trouble.

*****

**Yes I am aware of the insane amount of time it has taken for this to go up! And I know its not a very interesting, Scarecrow, Joker-filled chapter, but I've already started the next chapter and its starting to smooth into a sequel! I can't wait! Hopefully it won't take so long! Thanks to all reviewers, favorites and Alerts! Its much appreciated! Keep 'em coming ! -xo**


	13. A Transformed Girl

Alex practically stomped to the bathroom, seemingly to the amusement of the Joker, whose recognisable laughter followed her. She slammed the bathroom door and drowned out the sound, but it was still ringing in her ears. In a blind fury, she slammed the boots to the ground as well as the one-piece outfit, and started ripping off her clothes. Stars were popping left, right and centre before her eyes and her hands shook, but she didn't stop until she was completely nude in the middle of the bathroom.

She looked at the costume she had forcefully thrown to the floor. It looked so… right.

She bent down and picked up the masque. It was deep purple, almost plum in colour, with black gems cresting the main shape. There were black rings around the eyes, '_just like the Joker,' _she thought. She placed it on her face and looked in the mirror, "this is me now…" Her reflection told her that it was a perfect fit over her eyes and nose. Her naturally pale lips were extremely prominent. She made a feeble attempt to comb her hair behind her ear, but strands kept falling down. "Nobody needs to see my eyes anymore…gives away too much emotion…"

Her eyes weren't completely blacked out; in fact they shone like emeralds against the dark of the masque. She spotted a small tub by the sink. She picked it up curiously. It was black Kohl, not in pencil form like she had used in her teenage years, but as a powder. Before she could stop herself she had placed a finger in the substance and then through the eyeholes of the masque. She rubbed it on both of her eyelids before awkwardly rubbing it on the lower lash line. Satisfied she searched for the lipstick which she assumed the Joker used. The sink was a mess. There were strands of hair clogging the drain, black finger marks along the sides and red trails…

She glanced at the floor under the sink and found it. A black tube with a crimson red stick, but the end had broken off when it fell, not to mention gathered all sorts of fluff and dirt from the floor. She picked up the small part that had broken and gingerly picked off some hairs and dirt. She quickly and neatly applied it before examining herself in the mirror again.

Meanwhile the Joker sat beside the T.V. only casting his eye at it a few times. He was sitting with his feet up on the coffee table, a crumbled newspaper and his switch-blade by his side. He wasn't exactly day-dreaming, more pondering about what could come next. He had Alex, now what?

He raked a gloved hand through his hair roughly, some strands sticking to him. His mind seemed to be failing him.

He lifted his feet off the table and turned the T.V. off. He felt distracted. Why when she had him in the palm of his hand, did he not want her anymore? Surely there would be some use for her… She wasn't athletic, particularly smart or talented in anyway that he could think of.

The glint of the blade made him pick it up and examine its shine. How beautiful it would be covered in her blood…

There was a very slight cough that came from the corner. The Joker turned and smiled. Alex stood awkwardly, her hair tied in a very tight pony-tail and her gloved fingers clasping the curve of her waist slightly as though trying to pose for a model-shoot, but too shy to fully show herself.

The black and purple one-piece outfit that he had picked suited her in every way imaginable. It hugged every curve in the perfect manner, from her voluptuous breasts right down to the calves of her leg where the black, laced boots flattered her height, pushing her several inches off the ground, making her seem very long-legged.

She watched as his eyes roamed over her and couldn't help her knees shaking slightly from the exposure she was feeling.

"Well…?" she enquired nervously.

"Wait," The Joker walked steadily towards her, his eyes never meeting her face. Something about that body, those sweet… sweet curves… were familiar.

There was a moment of silence and Alex could tell the Joker was thinking about something, but his eyes were still on her making her feel extremely uncomfortable. She was about to speak, interrupt him from his thoughts, but thankfully he spoke, "Harley Quinn."

She frowned, "What?"

His eyes seemed to narrow in slight anger before blanking over, "you remind me of Harley Quinn." _That's the attraction_. He placed a hand to his chin, "go stand in the corner."

Alex started, "why whats- ?"

"GO!" he shouted. The Joker hadn't raised his voice too frequently in the time that Alex had 'spent' with him so she was shocked and scared and her body jolted. She didn't understand, but she felt it best to listen to him so she did what she was told and walked to the corner, humiliatingly turning her back to him.

Harley Quinn was currently in Arkham. She messed up. Big time. Got caught. Made a scene. He thought she'd learned by all the times he had to bruise that pretty face of hers, that he didn't like mistakes.

"_Aww puddin'! I never meant to kill him!" _The day he trusted her to 'get information' from a goon, who it turned out had ratted out his first ever hideout to the police.

"_I misheard you! I thought you said a whip!" _ The day she assumed something kinky was going on, when he only wanted something from the 'fish and chip' shop.

"_It just slipped!" _The day he asked her to plant a bomb at the top of an elevator shaft. Dangerous consequences. He broke her arm that time.

The Joker glanced at Alex who was obediently standing in the corner. She was just another version of Harley. The moment he saw her, he felt a strange attraction. Now he knew it was because of the Quinn-ish resemblance. Only difference? She had green eyes. And he liked the colour green.

He sucked at his lip. But how could she be trusted not to make the same mistakes?

"Alexandra-ah," he clicked his tongue, "turn round."

She did as he asked and slowly, but surely turned to face him. She wanted to scowl at him, but the menace in his face was positively terrifying. He watched her intently.

"As a kind of introductory…to life by my side…" he began, and Alex swallowed. What on earth was he going to make her do? "You're going to prove yourself by helping me trash Bruce Wayne's party."

Alex blinked at him, "Trash?"

"Yeah."

"_**The**_Bruce Wayne? _**The**_party of the year?"

"Yes," he examined her face. She wasn't very good at hiding her emotions. He watched as disbelief overtook her features, then she frowned as though in thought and then… delight?

"Wow! Uhm…yeah!" she grinned, "I would do anything to get into _**the**_party of the year!" She was thinking more of the journalist side of things…always itching to get into one of these private parties to see what life was like for the bachelor _and _….how many wealthy, handsome hunks she could attract.

The Joker frowned. This was the same kind of enthusiasm that Harley showed when he gave her a task. He could not ignore this. "Come here," he beckoned with his gloved hand.

She hesitantly walked towards him, attempting to read his face, but it was impossible. When she was right in front of him, he grabbed her and she let out a high-pitched shriek. His hands wrapped around her pony-tail and yanked hard. Her hands shot up to try and stop the pain burning her scalp, but to no avail. His face came so close to hers and he growled, "No mistakes," before pressing his lips roughly against hers. Their first kiss. Yet she wouldn't consider it to be her usual kiss-quality. Smirking, he pushed her hard onto the floor and left the room swiftly. Alex massaged her head with her hand, whilst lying on the floor, completely bewildered.

*****

**The Following Night**

Alex stood in an ingenious disguise outside Wayne Tower. She was dressed as a mime, ordered by the Joker to fulfil her character by copying and following various people who passed by. She was looking out for one guy in particular. He gave her no indication of what he looked like, or who he was. He just said, _"You'll know him." _

It must be said, acting this attire was very humiliating. She was to pester anybody who came close to Wayne Tower, inspecting their faces, checking if she knew them…whilst of course remaining in character.

She spotted a man on his phone and hobbled over to him in a comic manner, grinning and placing her hand against her ear as though she too was on her phone.

He saw her coming and groaned, "Hang on a minute Rick," he covered his phone with his hand and shouted rather rudely, "Clear off Bozo!"

Alex dramatically placed a hand over her agape mouth and waggled her finger. She flicked a pretend light bulb above her head as though an idea had occurred to her and started winding up an imaginary rope. She lassoed it above her head, but before she could throw it over the man, he had run away.

"This sucks!" she grumbled walking back, closer to the door of Wayne Tower, "This was _not _part of the job description. I thought I'd be in there DOING something!"

"I didn't know mimes were allowed to talk," a deep voice shocked her into silence. She turned and nearly walked into a man. A handsome man. She blushed furiously, but thankfully her cheeks were well concealed with the white makeup she had layered on.

This guy had a set of bright blue eyes, head of really…really…black hair (not the black that is brown in the sunlight or blue or any other bizarre colour, properly black.) He also possessed a strong chin, high cheekbones and pale skin to top it off. Something about him was so…gothic. It made her feel… naughty.

He smiled. Oh those pearly whites!

Alex returned the grin and mimed brushing herself off. She opened her mouth and made actions with her hands to suggest talking before frowning and waggling her finger.

"Oh…so you're a…naughty mime then?" he winked at her. A little screech wanted to burst from her, but she held it in and winked instead. This guy was hitting on her. BIG time. "I didn't realise mimes could be so pretty either…" he continued, getting intimately close…so much so that she could smell his mouth-watering manly scent.

Alex giggled and covered her mouth quickly before looking around. There was no sign of the Joker or any of his goons, or anybody else for that matter. She could break her disguise to talk to this…kind gentleman, "Why thank you sir!" she grinned, "what has a handsome man like you wandering the streets at night? I'm sure you're girlfriend is wondering where you are." Alex was practically standing on her tip-toes with anticipation.

The man chuckled, "I don't have a girlfriend or a wife for that matter." Alex shrieked inside her head, wanting so badly to jump into this strong man's arms and have him hold her. "No, I'm actually about to attend this party."

A lump formed in Alex's throat, "r-really?" she squeaked.

"Oh yeah! It's the party of the year!" he winked.

This man obviously had some important status or was extremely wealthy. Only the extreme upper class citizens got to attend one of Bruce Wayne's parties.

Alex swallowed and glanced around nervously, "you're very late… if you don't mind me saying so."

"Not at all! Well…maybe an hour or two…" he looked at his watch *Alex noted it was 'Chronoswiss,' a very expensive, German watch-brand based in Switzerland.* "I'd say I'm fashionably late at this point."

Alex could have sighed with wanting this man so badly, but something else was bugging her. The Joker.

"I take it you're not attending the party then Miss…?"

"Uh, just Alex. And no I'm not," she smiled.

"Would you like to?"

Her heart was racing in her chest. Even though she looked like a complete freak, this guy was offering to take her to one of the most prestigious parties in Gotham. "So perfect…" she breathed.

"Sorry?"

"Oh no! I can't…" she bit her lip.

"Well… why not?"

The Joker. How she would have loved to tell this man that he was in there…doing something evidently awful. '_Trashing Bruce Wayne's party_,' as he put it. "This isn't exactly the best attire for Bruce Wayne's standards," she smiled.

The man shrugged, "yeah I see what you mean…" They stared at each other in silence for a while. Alex's brain was ticking over. He broke the silence "well it was nice meeting you and I hope to see you around." He winked before walking away towards the entrance.

Panic. "No wait!" she screamed, running after him.

He turned, grinning, "so you _would _like to-"

"No! You can't go to this party!" she grabbed his arm tightly.

He raised his eyebrows in alarm, "why not?"

"Because…" she searched for a possible excuse, "Because…" The Joker. The Joker. The Joker. JUST SAY IT!

She didn't need to. There were sounds of screaming coming from the very top of the building.

"What the hell?" the man tore his arm from her grip and looked up, "What's going on?"

Alex also looked up, but she didn't know what was happening. There were screams again, only this time they were louder. Then the sound of shattering glass. Then something terrible hurtling towards the ground. Then the sickening crunch of that something, hitting the ground. Both Alex and the man stared in the direction of the fallen object.

"Oh my god," the man covered his mouth and Alex knew why, it was a person. A person who was now unmoving and evidently…dead.

"WE HAVE TO CALL THE POLICE!" the man's voice had gone shrill. Alex's eyes were frozen to the body lying a few yards away. "DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?"

Alex tore her eyes away and looked at the man. He looked positively terrified, anguished, shocked…things a grown man should never look like. He held his mobile phone in his right hand and was looking at her with earnest. When she didn't reply, he started pushing buttons.

"Don't" her voice came out in a squeak so he didn't hear her. "Don't!" she reached for his wrist.

He snatched it from her grip, "WHATS WRONG WITH YOU?! THAT GUY IS DEAD!" She noticed that he was shaking. His mobile phone was lucky it hadn't fallen…

Alex swatted it out of his hand. The man watched as his phone hit smashed on the ground. He looked at it with a pained expression. He then looked at Alex, with a mixture of confusion and extreme agony.

"Look, I know how it looks…" Alex tried to keep calm, but her heart was pounding violently in her chest and she thought she was going to throw up, "but you have to leave! Do you understand me?" she gripped his shoulders in earnest.

He stared at her like she had lost her mind.

"Go home!" she pleaded, "please! I don't want you to get hurt…" This was true. It was the reason she prevented him from going into the party in the first place. If the Joker's involved, people will get hurt. And evidently someone did. Someone was thrown out of the top window.

"We need to call the police…" the man whispered, his eyes travelling to the body lying yards away. In the dark, Alex's eyes adjusted and she could see blood. Lots of blood. She tore her eyes away.

Why was she defending the Joker? Why was she allowing him to get away with this? "Look…" she shook the man slightly, "If you want to ring the police, go somewhere else! You're in danger if you stay! Don't you see? Go to the telephone booth several blocks away. Don't stop until you feel that you are far away from the scene! Understand?"

"W-what about y-you?" he stammered.

"I have unfinished business." She let the man go and turned back to the scene. She had completely lost sight of why she was here in the first place. If she didn't find this man then the Joker would surely kill her, in ways which were worse than being pushed out of a window.

She bit her bottom lip and scanned her eyes anxiously. What if she missed him while she was flirting?

"I'm gonna get killed!" she whispered frantically.

"Is that what you fear?"

Alex whipped round and bumped into a pale, skinny man with striking blue eyes behind a pair of glasses. Doctor Crane.

"You!" Alex snapped, "I've to meet with _you_?!"

Dr. Crane smiled coldly, "the Joker asked to meet with me here. Yes." Alex sighed. "How did u enjoy that gas I gave you? The Joker said it calmed you down a notch."

"I couldn't move my fucking face," she snapped in return.

"Yes…that was one effect of it," he mused.

"So what are you up to now _Doctor_?" she leered, "drugging up any more women?"

Jonathan took his glasses off and started wiping them on the inside of his shirt, "no…besides what I'm doing is private business. Between me and the Joker and a few other people I trust."

"I'm going to find out sooner or later. Im the Joker's assistant," Alex had no idea why she was bragging about it, because she was already starting to regret her decision.

He inspected the lens closely before replacing his glasses back on the ridge of his nose, "clearly. That's why you are presently outside and he's inside."

Alex could feel a similar rage building up inside her, "He needed someone to meet you," she snapped.

"No… the Joker is meeting me soon. He didn't need you to meet me. He needed to keep you out of his hair." He smiled briefly, "and he has you in a comical mime getup. How does that make you feel?"

Alex narrowed her eyes, "screw you."

"You're not my type."

"Oh you're more of a brunette kind of guy! I forgot. You liked my sister."

"Speaking of which, how is she coping?"

"I don't know."

"Well why not?"

"Because I don't speak to her anymore."

"Again I pose the question, why not?"

"BECAUSE I DON'T CARE!" Alex shouted in his face. He stepped back a little from the shock, but readjusted himself quickly. Alex's chest was heaving. "I don't care about her anymore. I'm a new person. And _you _keep popping up, as a constant reminder of her! And it's pissing me off!

Dr. Crane raised his right eyebrow, "if you didn't care, you wouldn't have brought the subject of her into this conversation."

"I didn't."

"Oh yes," he smiled, "as I recall, you said, 'you liked my sister,' thus introducing her into the conversation."

Alex opened her mouth then closed it again. She was too angry to talk anymore.

The next ten minutes were of silence. Alex was leaning against a wall, with her arms crossly folded against her chest. Dr. Crane stood coolly nearby.

The Joker's manic laugh could be heard distantly, it was getting closer and closer to the entrance, where Alex and Dr. Crane were standing. Alex stood up straight and looked in, waiting on the Joker making an appearance.

Within moments he appeared in the hallway, goons behind him, guns poised in case they were being followed. He looked positively crazed, laughing and laughing, and practically skipping.

A black van pulled up outside. Two men shouted out the window, "come on boss!"

The Joker spotted Alex and Dr. Crane, "ah, you found each other! Get in the van."

Without explaining anything else the Joker jumped into the van, followed by Dr. Crane. Alex stepped into it gingerly. She jumped slightly when the door was slammed shut behind her.

"What happened in there? What did you do?" Alex started, sitting on the floor of the van like everybody else, well the Joker was standing over everyone.

The Joker ignored her and started talking immediately to Dr. Crane, "The Bat decided to show up, attempting to ruin everything as usual."

"Oh really?" he acted uninterested.

"But someone unexpected showed up…" the Joker smiled.

Dr. Crane looked at him and frowned, "who?"

"Yes who?" Alex leaned forward. The suspense was killing her.

"They went slightly… well… crazy," he laughed, "they pushed a man out the window because… haha…because…"

"Because what Joker?" Dr. Crane was looking at him with annoyance.

The Joker looked at Alex and pointed a finger at her suddenly, "she wanted to know where you were! And… nobody knew."

"Me?" Alex's eyes widened. So the Joker didn't push that person out of the window. Well… she should've guessed, it just wasn't his style. "Why me? Who was it?"

"I didn't tell her where you were! I…couldn't stop laughing. She got angry. Very angry! I'm telling you Crane! You've messed her up BIG time!" He went into hysterics.

"Crane what?" Alex looked at him, until it dawned on her. It dawned on both of them. The Joker was talking about Rebecca.

*****

**Ah! The grief! I've been so uber, mega busy!!! Iknow that sounds like an excuse, but believe me… ive had this started for ages… just getting time to finish the chapter was hell! I'll try so hard to get the next one up soon! Please review- x**


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Batman Begins/Dark Knight