Jigsaw Puzzle || The Joker x Reader

➟ Chapter Nine

Batman charged at you and you kept your blade low. You smirked when he got closer and slashed straight for his semi-unmasked face. He swerved out of the way and brought his knee up to your stomach. You coughed and doubled over for a second before recovering and swinging your leg around to the back of his head to get some separation.

"Dr. (L/N), you don't have to do this!" Batman reasoned.

"Of course I don't have to," you replied. "This is how I've always been."

"I don't believe that," he said frantically.

"You don't have to," you shot back, lunging toward him.

You rammed the knife into his ribs where the padding was limited and it gave you time to throw an elbow at his mouth. Batman fell to the ground, groaning in pain and you took the opportunity to escape. You ran into the balcony room and shot the grappling hook to the railing before flinging yourself over it and falling to the ground.

You tore off your belt and threw it behind you as you raced around the manor with sirens whaling in the distance. You got lucky, realizing the guests who were in the manor were scrambling to get to their cars and away from the chaos. You blended into the crowd as you grabbed the roof of your Camaro and slid into the opened window to the driver's seat.

You started the engine and peeled out of the driveway, swimming through the barrage of vehicles and passing the emergency responders on the way. You breathed deeply when you made it to the highway and on your way back to the warehouse.

When you made it to the building, you performed a characteristically dramatic entrance as you hit the brakes and turned the steering wheel to the right at the same time. You left the keys in the ignition, stepped out of the car, and slammed the door shut.

You waltzed over to the stairs without missing the blood spilled on the ground and proceeded to the main floor while taking out your phone. You threw open the door but your attention was cast downward, so you missed the relieved faces of the henchmen directed to you.

"Boss!" Todd yelled.

"What!?" Joker barked, stomping into the room from around the corner.

"Hey," you said nonchalantly and headed for the kitchen to make yourself some food. It was then you noticed the stares and slightly widened eyes of The Joker. "Did I miss something?"

"You got away," Joker stated the obvious.

You chuckled. "Yeah, I wouldn't let a guy dressed as a bat get the best of me."

"...Okay," Joker muttered, at a loss for words until he thought of something. "Everyone out."

The goons scrambled from the room and you finished deleting phone calls and concerned text messages from your colleagues before leaning against the counter to address your partner.

"Why did you stay? There is a reason we have a supply of people who work for us," Joker said as he stood on the other side of the counter. He had discarded his long, purple coat by then.

"Self-sacrifice isn't my usual, but I--" you hesitated as you thought about your words "--I find it important to make sure the top guys get out, meaning you."

Joker gave you an odd look. "Are you saying it was for me?"

You cleared your throat. "Yes, essentially," you responded. "I said from the beginning that loyalty is what I was offering and I meant it. When I promise stuff like that, I don't back out, I go to the extreme."

He went to say something, but suddenly, your phone started making a loud noise. You looked down at it in concern and dread swept your body at the alert on the screen.

"What is it?"

You ran toward the door instantly. "My house is on fire."

You rushed through the hallway and down the multiple staircases with an extra pair of footsteps following. Anger and--for the first time in years--actual terror filled you at what could be waiting for you. You got into your car and so did The Joker, to your surprise. You raced out of the warehouse and headed for your house at a speed you hadn't reached before, but laws and logic weren't relevant.

You saw the smoke from blocks away and a snarl morphed your face. You slammed on the brakes once reaching the front of your house and jumped out of the vehicle as fast as possible. You breathed harder at seeing first-hand the carnage of memories burning before your eyes and it pained you as you realized you were being broken in a new way.

You looked down the street as you saw movement and went to your truck. You flipped it open and snatched a pistol that you pointed with one hand at the person trying to run from the flames and shot them from a great distance. The heat caused a sheen of sweat on your forehead but you ignored it and marched after your prey that had fallen on their stomach.

You stood over the man, kicked him onto his back, and gripped the front of his tailored shirt. A pool of blood was surrounding him and stained the expensive clothing but that was the least of your problems.

"Who do you work for?" you seethed. The man shook his head and coughed up some blood. You brought your foot up and pressed down on his stomach as you simultaneously pulled him upward. "Tell me!"

"Lau," he sobbed and gasped until the rest of his pathetic life left him.

You let go of him and roughly pushed his body to the pavement. You rigidly stood straight and tightened your grip on your gun to the point of the metal digging in to your skin. You turned and leisurely walked back to your car, noticing Joker shadowing you like he had never done. It was like he was making sure you were okay, but you couldn't have been sure.

You flung the gun in the trunk and shut it, then heard sirens for the second time that night. You couldn't process the events happening and you were feeling emotions you hadn't in a long time. It was all too much.

"Let's go," you murmured, slowly getting into the car as Joker did the same.

You drove back to the base in silence. You welcomed it for the most part because you didn't want to hear Joker's rude comments about you caring for something seemingly insignificant. You guessed he wouldn't understand the heartache of this.

"Lau is an accountant for the mobs," you explained his burning question monotonously. "It appears the word has gotten out about my return and he wanted the competition minimized. Too bad for him, all he got was an enemy."