Sane: A Joker fanfic

.29. No honor among thieves

An uncomfortable silence.

That's all that was heard.
That, and the child's snoring. He had fallen asleep so easily once he had settled into the limo with the clown. It was surprising.
There was a feeling now within the madman that made his heart swell. He was excited. Happy.
This child was the only connection left to his past life, his true life.
It confirmed that his past really was all that he said it was. It wasn't multiple choice as he'd claim.
The grin on the clowns face didn't go unnoticed, making Bruce smirk as he observed the criminal playing with the child's hair.

"You don't have to worry about Jake. I gave him a memory loss pill. Even if they check his system for drugs, they won't detect it. We're safe." Bruce said.

"And the child?" The Joker asked.

"He'll he reported missing, obviously. But if you're out of the public eye, it should be fine." Bruce said as he looked down at the sleeping child.
His eyes then found the jokers, who was deep in thought.
"You look content." Bruce said.

"Everything I've done, everything I've felt. It's bullshit. I don't know much about love but I think if I could feel love, this is how I'd feel." The Joker explained.

"I noticed you're not your usual self either. Calm. Collected. Calculated. That violence has disappeared." Bruce said.

"No. Hehehehe the violence has escalated, my friend. I want to destroy the world for ripping me away from this happiness. My true self, my violent tendencies, ohhh I just wanna rip you apart right now Brucey," The joker grinned dangerously at Bruce, the evil glint in his eyes all too apparent now.

"And that's the example you want to set for your child? You did make a promise, Joker." Bruce warned.

"I did. But you should have known batsy, there is no honor among thieves," The joker grinned.
Bruce glared at the clown. He averted his eyes to the road as he felt the limo slow down.

"Alfred?!" Bruce asked as he scrambled to the partition, grabbing the drivers shoulder, but instead he was met with Frost.
He sat back in horror as he looked outside and saw a group of armed men standing on the side of the road.

The door to the limo was quickly opened and Bruce was pulled out. From there, he was blindfolded and handcuffed, unsure of what was coming next.
The joker kept his eyes firmly on the men pushing the blindfolded Bruce into another car as the limo he and his son were in drove off. With a sigh, he sat back comfortably once again, running his fingers through the child's hair.

What would he tell him? How would he console him?
Would he tell the truth about Jake?
Perhaps he'd been too hasty getting rid of Bruce but now things were finally going as planned.
His original plan.

"What of the Butler?" The joker asked.

"The guys are holding him down at the docks. Bruce will join them shortly." Frost explained.

The joker nodded and grinned.

"Where to, boss?" The driver asked.

"Home for now. I'll take care of our friends later." The joker smirked.

————
"PUDDIN!!" Harleen squealed as she saw the limo pulling up. She was in on the plan, she knew exactly what the joker was trying to pull.
She was just happy that he hadn't abandoned his goals completely. They finally had a shot at being a family once again.

She watched in excitement as Frost opened the rear door and the madman stepped out slowly, carrying something in his arms.
Harleen scanned the child immediately, from his hair to his little feet. He was fast asleep. The sight of her joker walking towards her while holding a child, his child so adoringly in his arms, it made her melt.
She wanted nothing more than to embrace him.

As he made his way to the entrance of the home, his eyes met hers. A smirk grew on his face and he couldn't help but lean in and kiss her. Her loyalty and trust in him hadn't faded. She had risked reverting back to her old life for him, again.

"I missed you," he whispered as he kept his lips just inches from here.

"I missed you too." She said softly, planting another kiss on his lips before he moved past her and put the sleeping child slowly down on the plush couch.
He was a heavy sleeper, much to jokers happiness.

"Boss," Frost whispered, "we got the blueprints laid out and everything's set for tomorrow."

The joker nodded and pulled Frost into another room as Harley sat next to the boy and observed him. She couldn't help the smile forming on her face.
She had wanted desperately to have her own child with joker but that chance was lost once when she fell into Batman's clutches, who hadn't known at the time of her pregnancy.

She was content that after all this time, not only did she have a child with her lover, even if it wasn't her own, but that revenge would still be exacted for her own loss. With a sigh, she stood up and walked to where her puddin and his right hand man were, in the heart of his office. Normally she'd knock but she was too wrapped up in joy to care.

"We were able to take over the blue-light district, from there it's a piece of cake. I got all the guys working the corners backing us up...even some guys in blue. We should be fine to get back in within the next few weeks." Frost explained.

"Very good..this wasn't easy Frost..I don't know how you managed this in the short amount of time I gave you. HAHAHAHA!! It's a relief i won't have to kill ya!" The Joker cackled.

Frost just smirked, knowing all too well what his boss was like.

"Puddin?" Harleen croaked in confusion.

"Ahh, Harley, darling...I've been thinking. I know we just moved out here but I'm beginning to feel a little...homesick. I think it's time we return to Gotham. And don't worry, I already got us a nice family home," The Joker laughed, producing a set of keys.

Harleen's eyes widened in surprise. "Are those keys to...to...?"

The Joker placed the keys in her palm.

"Home."