Gotham's Apocalypse (A Joke Story [Sequel to Cruel])

20: Arkham Asylum, Part 5

Joker. In disguise as a normal looking person, of course. He had really thick stage makeup and it looked like he had worked hours on making himself look that way.

I ignored the fluttering of my heart and took a seat in front of him. His eyes widened and he let out a long breath of air.

"Wow, you've seen better days," he spoke, letting out a snicker. "By the way, that guard is one of the henchman I'm sending to save you. Good that he knows where you're staying, no confusion when we break you out." 

"What are you doing here?" I questioned. I tried not to snap, but my words were sharper than I had meant. 

"Wow, jeez, rough crowd," he spoke with a smirk. "Visiting you. Why else? I've arranged a jail break for two days from now, as promised. Then we can get back to destroying Gotham. . ." He snickered. "Everything out of your system? Feeling better?"

I let out a sigh. "My first day here, my cheekbone was smashed in. Oh, and they had plastic surgeon work on my scars. Apparently, I should look how I did before the accident."

These words caused his expression to change. He furrowed his brows together and frowned. "Did you ask them to do that?"

"I didn't, but my stitches had burst open so many times that the skin was so chewed up they fixed it."

He was quiet for a moment before snickering. "Well, okay. When you get back, I can tell Harley to beat it, and-"

"Woah woah woah, Harley?" I questioned.

"Yeah," he shrugged. "Until you get back."

"So what you're telling me is. . . You had your ex come back to live with you while I'm away, and she's doing the same exact job that got you two together in the first place?"

Joker frowned now. "I hate Harley. She means nothing. Why are you freaked out?"

"I don't know," I yelled, standing up from my chair. "Who was really behind the scars on my face, Joker?" I questioned, glaring at the man whose face changed expression again. 

"What are you asking?" He growled.

I started to shake now as tears formed in my eyes. "You know exactly what I'm asking." I wiped a tear from my eye. "You visited Riddler here. You asked him to send a henchman after me. You gave him means of communication, and then pretended that he's the one who set it up. But what did you give him in exchange to keep him from telling me the truth?"

Joker's back stiffened. "You're never going to leave me. You can't."

I felt my heart break. "I'm not your Harley."

Joker became angry now. "You're my girl. You wanted me, and you have me. You signed up for this." 

"What did you give him in exchange?"

Joker was quiet for a good minute before opening his mouth and answering. "5 million."

I took a deep breath to stop myself from breaking down again. "Why?"

"So you never wanted to go back to normalcy if you wanted to," he spoke, then burst out laughing. "Gotcha!" he held his stomach as he laughed. 

I finally felt a sense of calm. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh before wiping my tears and silently staring at him. This threw him off of his game. He frowned at my sudden level of clarity. "Tell your men to cancel the jail break."

"You don't mean that," Joker spoke with a short chuckle. He looked confused.

"You made me feel guilty for letting you fight alongside me. You made me seek revenge against an innocent man, even if he is the most annoying person I've ever met. You lied to me. But, most of all, you had someone physically scar my face."

"You're not good at making decisions. So I had to make one for you."

I felt like I was going to throw up. My head was spinning. "I'm going to tell everyone here that you're sending people for a rescue mission, so they'll have to lock me up extra tight. If you're not gone in two seconds, I will tell the nearest guard that you're here."

He stood up now. His hands came to grab me, but I slapped them away. I gave him a glare so hard I scared myself. "Missy, I-"

"It's Lucy. Get out." 

He gave me a sickening grin before grabbing me by the neck and forcing a kiss on my mouth. His actions caused a tingle to go up and down my spine, pleasure drugging me for a moment before clarity hit again and I struggled free. "You love me still. You always will. You'll never get away from me. Remember, 'Lucy,' I'm cruel. I'll always be cruel." He let me go. I collapsed on the floor as he closed the door behind him. I curled up into a ball and sobbed until the door open and a nurse peeled me off of the floor, bringing me back to my cell where I lay there, feeling more depressed than I had ever felt in my life. 

I had hit rock bottom.

it was time for recovery.