Divination (Joker x Batman x OC)

Chapter 134

"And he just agreed," Adriana said to Dr. Kapoor. "Just like that...barely any questions asked."

"Well..this is a good thing isn't it?" Dr. Kapoor asked Adriana when she told him about the Joker agreeing to be sent away.

"I mean, sure..I was hoping it wouldn't be difficult to get him to accept but.." Adriana said. "I don't know..it just isn't like him to just...he likes being in control of things, planning things out and not just letting things happen. He's a meticulous planner, and this whole thing is so unexpected."

"What is your concern?" the doctor asked.

"I..." she said and thought. "I wonder if maybe he's depressed?"

"In my professional observation," the doctor said. "He doesn't display signs of depression. PTSD from his confinement? Yes. Anxiety? Most certainly. I would even say he is regretful about what he did to his skin after the laser treatment. He did not want to lose his scars. His identity is...changing in a way neither of us can fully understand. But I would not say that he seems depressed...which is incredible considering what we talk about and the things we reflect on in his sessions."

"But...that's just it, I mean, especially with the scars. I can tell with his thoughts..he hates looking into the mirror even more than before because he doesn't recognize himself at all...I don't see why you don't think he could be depressed, even just a little," she said.

 She had never seen the Joker so tolerant and accepting. He always had his own plans, and now he was leaving everything up to them.

"You," the doctor said.

" Me?" Adriana said, caught up in her thoughts.

"He talks about you a lot," the doctor said. "And he does not know, of course, that I know that he is talking about you specifically."

"I know," Adriana said.

"I believe that you being here improves his mood," the doctor said. "He does not recognize himself. His perspective is changing, his appearance is changing, everything is different. I would say sometimes he even questions his reality here, which we are working on. But you...you are recognizable and constant. The only constant from before...and still here in the present."

"Oh..." Adriana said, suddenly feeling great responsibility. "I see."

"Yes," the doctor said. "I do believe that he will be just fine. Not without struggle..internal turmoil and we all have, and I am sure you are familiar with it. But he is quite strong, mentally, I would say. He is adjusting."

Adriana nodded. "Okay."

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"Once I select a property, you will be the first to know," Lucius assured Adriana that evening.

She was bathing Arsenio, who was sitting in a small inflatable tub inside of the bathtub. He was holding onto a small plastic shovel and slapping it onto the water, making small splashes.

"Is everything alright?" Lucius asked, not knowing what the sound was.

"Oh, yes," Adriana said, speaking to Lucius through her Bluetooth earpiece. "Just giving my baby a bath. He wouldn't let go of this little shovel toy, so I let him bring it into the bath and now he's making a bit of a mess. Aren't you sweetheart? That shovel is supposed to be for you very first trip to the beach when your daddy and I take you this summer, but you wanted to play with it now."

Lucius laughed as Arsenio began making sounds, realizing Adriana was talking to him even though she was holding her cell phone in between her shoulder and ear.

"Thank you so much, Lucius," Adriana said. "I don't know how I would have done all this without your help..seriously."

"My pleasure, "Lucius replied.

"So..." Adriana said after a momentary silence. "What are you thinking about right now? Barbados? The Dominican Republic?"

"Well, truthfully I wasn't thinking about the properties we are looking at right now."

"Oh?" she asked. "What then?"

"In all honestly, I was thinking about his physical appearance," Lucius said. "You and Dr. Kapoor have obviously done a wonderful job."

"Oh..right," Adriana said and looked at her baby who was looking into her eyes. "Well, he has his health back which was the goal."

"Yes," Lucius said. "It would appear so."

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"You know, you don't have to do that," Bruce said to Adriana as she finished trimming her hair. It had taken half an hour. "We can have a stylist come here to trim it for you. You have a lot of hair, dear...you hair is bigger than your body."

"Hey, don't make fun of my hair," she said and pulled a brush through it.

"I'm not making fun," he said. "I love it."

"I'm joking," she smiled. "Although I probably shouldn't brush or cut it when it's dry..it gets too poofy. But I never learn."

"Nah..." Bruce said and stood behind her in front of the mirror. "You look like what I imagine Eve to have looked like...beautiful creation in the garden."

"You're too sweet," she laughed and turned her head to kiss him.

"No wonder Adam couldn't resist doing whatever she said."

Adriana laughed and reached one of her hands up to touch Bruce's cheek. They went to bed and laid quietly in each others arms for several minutes before Bruce spoke again.

"Should you sleep first or should I?" he asked. "I'm only going in to the office for a couple hours tomorrow."

"Oh..." she said. The next day was Saturday.

"And after that..don't have anything planned until..." he said.

"Eight o'clock," she said. They were going together to Sidi's home that evening. Her gift would be removed.

"How are you feeling?" Bruce asked. "I imagine this is all probably...very scary."

"It's okay.." she said, trying not to think about it. "How about you?"

"Me?" Bruce asked. "I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" she asked. 

"Of course," he said. "I want you to be here...alive and well. That is all I care about."

Adriana sighed and closed her eyes. It would change her life.

"So you'll sleep first," Bruce said and kissed her again.

"Do you want to?" she asked. "I'm not that tired yet."

"Hmm..." he hummed against her lips. "If that's the case..."

"Mhm," she said feeling his warm breath under her nose.

She looked into his eyes and nodded, and pulled him into another kiss.