Just One Look

Total Paranoia

*The Joker's Point of View*

Trust, should be at the root of every good relationship. I trusted Harley to keep Catrina and her family locked up tight, but look at what happened. They all escaped. All of them. I had just gotten Catrina back, and now where was she? With that shoestring billionaire! I saw them walking together downtown, laughing and smiling. Why can't she do that with me? I tried to make her smile, but all she does is scream and cry, beg, plead, for me to let her go. Why? Why can't I make her happy like he can? Can't she be more like Harley, succumb to my every need, smile and laugh at my jokes, or enjoy my company? I watched Catrina and Bruce from a distance, run down the street laughing. She linked her arm in his and the fire in my stomach flared. That's not fair! Why can't she cling to me like that? I huffed an angry puff of cigarette smoke out of my lungs, attempting to calm my nerves. I only smoked when I was as stressed, as I was now. I was making a plan, for Catrina to fall in love with me. Actual love, but nothing was working. It seemed like, I had missed my chance to grab her. I put out the cigarette in the building side next to me and turned to walk down to the bar on the corner. I was carrying my satchel, with my purple suit coat, and dress clothes inside. The make-up was stuffed in there too, making the bag bulge. I had a trick up my sleeve. Time for action, but first to have a shot or two to loosen up.

***

Buzzed, and dressed like my alter ego, I shot up the bar and the block surrounding it. People screamed, ran and panicked. I laughed, and had a ball. I jumped for joy when the cops showed up, I shot at them too. I threw a grenade or two in their direction and slipped into an alley.

Oh it was fun, causing mayhem in the streets. Too bad it never lasts long, because of the cops, and or Batman. I need to fix that problem. All in good time, all in good time. I walked confidently down the alley. Then, I saw her. Harley. I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Hey there, puddin'." She cooed provocatively, she was wearing her makeup and tight red jeans.

"You got some new clothes." I noticed, she looked down and smiled.

"Got them off this chick I mugged, and these cool boots!" She giggled, sticking her foot in my stomach. I hurled over and grunted. "You left me alone in that house!" She screamed, kicking her foot in my chin. "She got away because of you!" She screamed, "I wanted her dead by tonight, and now she's free!"

"I wanted her too! You're the one who let her get away!" I yelled back, pulling out my knife. The anger boiling in my chest. She smiled mischievously and laughed, throwing her head back.

"You think this is a game?"

"Everything is a game with you Harley."

"Nothing, is ever a game. Mista' J." She seethed, approaching me. "We need to find a new angle, get a perspective." She started, "We killed her best friend, captured her brother, captured her family and we got her, twice. Nothing has worked."

"So? Your point?"

"What is all this leading up to? Death? No, no, I say we let this play out. We've messed with her enough. Let's leave her think about her life a little. Let our mindset sink in, and ruin her brain. If anything, this will ruin her family and she'll just be caught in the middle of it." She said, laughing. I then saw her picture, ruining the perfect family would be perfection. Ruining Catrina's perfect family, would be even better. Maybe then, she will feel a sliver of the pain she caused me. This will help me move on from her. If I ever can.

*Catrina Scott's Point of View*