Family ties(Replacing Harley Quinn sequel)(complete)

Chapter 24: A vat of boiling secrets... And acid

BRUCE'S P.O.V

I had been searching for Joker all day, I had no idea that Josie followed me, I had no idea the love of my life had suited up to stop me from crossing the line. I never found it hard not to cross the line, it was only ever Joker that made me want to throw every moral I had into a vat of acid, just so I could enjoy strangling him.

When I saw those scars on her delicate pale skin, it honestly felt worse than Rachel, when she died I hurt so much I wanted to die, but when I saw what that woman had done to Josie, I didn't want to die I wanted to kill, imagine what I might do if this Eye Snatcher... Tremaine... Whatever, had killed her, it scares me to think that I might turn into the Joker.

During my rampage and interrogations, I found out that I could find both Tremaine and the Joker at the factory where Joker became... Well the Joker. Apparently he had changed his mind from a slow torturous death, to a quick dip into a vat of acid, just to make her as crazy as him. Seemed legit. But I should have known it was a trap.

When I arrived Joker was standing against the rails of a catwalk, a steaming vat of acid beneath him and plenty more spread out around he room, he breathed in the fumes and acted like he was smelling summer flowers "Joker" I wasn't bothered about him, I just wanted Tremaine "where's Tremaine?!"

"Tremaine?" He pretended to think "sorry doesn't ring a bell batsy"

I gritted my teeth and tried to remember that finding Tremaine was more important to me, so I decided to play his game just this once "the Eye Snatcher, where is she?"

"Where is she where is she, I'm having deja vu here bats" I remember when I beat him in the interrogation room, I needed to know where Rachel was but I still wouldn't kill him. Joker looked at my stern expression "alright alright I give, but I'm telling you that name just doesn't pull my rope" he pressed a button and a flood light lit up a woman dangling from a rope, hovering above a vat of acid. Josie. Joker grabbed a rope that was connected to her wrists "oops, bad phrase"

JOSIE'S P.O.V

A bright light burned through my eyelids and stung my eyes, everything that had happened came flooding back, including the last thing that happened to me before I was gassed, being gassed. My eyes flew open and I felt the rope wrapped around my wrists, my body was floating above a vat of acid!

I searched the room wildly, I saw Batman and Joker, Joker holding the rope that would let me drop, and Batman just staring at him. Once realisation hit that Joker was holding the rope that would make me plunge into a vat of life ruining acid, I began to scream and kick my legs, swinging the rope "don't struggle darling it doesn't make it any easier for me to hold you up there" he let the rope slip through his hands a little and I fell closer to the acid, I screamed and felt the tears running down my cheeks.

"JOKER!" Batman screamed "LET HER GO!"

"Interesting" the Joker said as he let the rope slip a little more.

"Noooo!!" I screamed as he did.

Batman stepped forward but stopped when Joker wagged his finger "ah ah ah"

"Why are you doing this Joker?! I thought you loved her!" It hurt me to hear Bruce, Batman, say that, for him to acknowledge the fact I loved his nemesis must have stung.

The Joker put his hand to his heart "I've had a change of heart old friend, you see when I let Josie pick who she loved, I knew she wouldn't pick me, she's not crazy enough to handle my insanity. After I let her go, like a hero, I realised that I'm a villain, it's in the job description to take what I want, so that's what I'm doing, I'm going to dump her in this acid, and then she'll be mine"

"YOU CRAZY SON OF A BITCH!" I shouted, but that only made him let the rope slip a little more.

However Bruce was fast thinking, he knew that if Joker wanted me in that acid I already would be "so why haven't you done it?"

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" I screamed at him, why was he coaxing Joker to do it?

Batman just ignored me and carried on "c'mon, why haven't you done it yet?"

"Because I want answers" Batman narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, his way of telling Joker to ask his questions "something has been puzzling me, why would Josie do all of this for you? Chase you down to stop you from going over the edge, past the point of no return. Put on that suit, and scream at you like she knows you. Why would you scream at me to let her go like that, you weren't this mad about Rachel, and I thought she was your epic love" Batman stayed silent "okay a guessing game then, are you two... Having an affair?"

"No" Joker was confused then, technically it wasn't a lie but it was at the same time, Joker was good a spotting a liar but he wasn't sure what to do when he spotted that Batman was half lying and half telling the truth.

"Are you sure?" He let the rope slip some more and I let out a yelp.

"Stop"

"TELL ME! Or I swear to god I'll let go! Why would you want to kill The Eye Snatcher?" While he was talking Batman looked at me and nodded, I knew what it meant, if it would save me he would tell the Joker everything. I shook my head but he wasn't listening to me. Bruce's secret is important, now and then, it had to be kept for Gotham's sake "she didn't do anything to you, oh but she did do something to her!" He let the rope slip a little more "TELL ME!"

"NO!" I screamed, all I could do was shout and scream, I was powerless, but I wasn't entirely.

Gotham needs Batman, it doesn't know it but it does, without him I'm afraid of what Gotham might become, with Joker at the helm and no one to beat him down. I can imagine all of the other criminals of Gotham ganging up on Joker, they're probably sick of his reign of terror and want him gone, so they gang up against him, but they all lose, I can see Joker standing on the ruins of Gotham, his eyes wild and a huge smile on his face. I couldn't let that happen.

I looked at Bruce. His eyes were so sad, he was staring at every demon he's ever had to face, the pain he's gone through to keep his secret, and now because I was too stupid to realise I was being led into a trap, he's going to give it all up. For me. Why did I have to be this person? Why did I have to be this soul sucking bitch. I've manipulated both of these men so that they'll do anything to keep me.

This is all my fault.

All of this is because of me.

I brought us to this point.

Not Batman. Not Joker. Me.

I started this.

It's only right that I end it.

"Alright! I'll tell you, if you just let her go!"

"YOU FIRST!" As Batman opened his mouth I began to struggle again, kicking and tugging, doing everything I could to make the rope slip "what are you doing?" Joker turned around and I could see how hard he was holding onto the rope, in fact I was struggling so hard he was straining to hold on.

The rope slipped from his hands and...