Blood and Lust

A/N - Part 2 of "Strip Poker"

CO-WRITTEN WITH DCCOURTJESTER

"Another Round"

A sharp cackled erupted from the very lowest pit of the Joker’s rotten soul as he pushed the double steel doors of the warehouse open with wide arms. Leaning forward slightly with the motion, he craned his neck much like a condor and smiled like the mad man he claimed he was not. Letting his head drop forward, his cackling slowed down to a mad gurgle of snickers. A mesh of brown and green screened his face as two raw sienna orbs shifted about hungrily, searching for the creature that their owner desired. The Joker shifted lethargically as his knife scraped against the steel door, the metallic contact screaming out much like a crow about to lay seize on a tiny mouse. A leather hand slid off the dry door as it shifted upward to push away the strands of hair from his vision. Suddenly his body jumped from the warehouse’s doorframe when a loud blast of thunder surged through the air.

His giggles echoed around as rain began to pound down without mercy upon the scene unfolding below. The Joker was now no longer playing a little game of poker with his Miss Dawes, for now it was the most dangerous game of all…cat versus mouse.

The two were now in a shipping yard on the docks, and Rachel ran from the warehouse, a safe house, into the maze of crates and shipments. Erratic movements began to seize and twist the Joker’s body as he popped his left shoulder and his head snapped to the right, his gaze growing devilish as he gazed around the corner of a crate. "Oh come out, come out, my little darl-liiing…" he practically sang. “Oh, Miss Daaaawes….” He continued, “It’s time to play the second game-uh…” He chuckled as he skipped past another crate, gazing to his right and left to see if she had appeared.

‘If she was smart, she would be hiding and listening for me… Ready to surprise me…’ he thought.

“The Rules of this game are simple…” The Joker suddenly stopped in a cross section as he looked down at his knife. “The longer you run, the more fun the game, but the worst for your mind…The shorter you run, the worst for your body….” He rocked his head to the left, then to the right, and finally straight back as he looked up to the sky. “Or…just long enough to make us both en-joy it.” A yellowed smile crept up upon his features as he called out to her.

Shifting his footing, the paint upon the Joker’s face began to run, and the white was shifting to grey and pink while the black and red were running thin. Turning his eyes as he flipped his body around to look behind him, he ran his tongue along his lips. His frame was completely soaked to the bone, and he was truly enjoying himself, knowing damn well that he was screwing with Rachel’s mind already. His adrenaline was running rampant throughout his body, and a part of this was showing within his right hand as his knife twirled around each finger. Opening up his arms suddenly, he exclaimed for her to hear, and he knew she could hear him, “Let the game begin… And here…we…GO!” He roared the last word as his fingers clenched the knife.

A manic smile ripped through the Joker’s features as he began to stalk through the muddy ground, his hair starting to stick to his face. His ears were burning profusely because he was trying to listen for her over the thunderclaps. What a fun game. His mind began to roll over how Rachel had left (half-naked), and his analysis deducted that she must be freezing her be-aut-i-ful little legs off…

Shivering from both fear and the cold, Rachel continued to press her body closely against a crate as she listened to the Joker croon and cackle in the distance. How quickly he had gone against his word…she knew he wasn’t the type to keep any promises!

Giving a jolt of surprise when another crack of thunder sounded overhead, Rachel swallowed as she began inspecting her surroundings for something – anything – that could assist in her plight. Finding nothing but crates and tackle, the attorney gave a curse before a sudden idea came to mind.

Tiptoeing toward a box of tackle with as much stealth as she could muster, Rachel lifted the lid and reached inside before retrieving a sharp fishing hook. When the Joker called out to her again, she scowled before creeping back over toward her hiding place, the wind violently whipping her hair into her line of vision as she waited…waited.

After what felt like a lifetime, the Joker passed her with a giddy smile on his face, Rachel taking a deep breath before lunging toward him with the agility of a small cat. Seizing him by the neck from behind, she then took the hook and sliced it across the Joker’s cheek, an almost warlike cry escaping her lips as she struck him with the hook again and again.

The Joker’s wishes had come true; he had found her and it seemed that she would prefer to fight rather than lay idle to escape. She truly surprised him as he stumbled backward with a cackle as metal sunk into flesh. A large crimson line oozed from his pale white face, which was quickly turning into a human color. Through the momentum of Rachel leaping at him, his soaked back bit into steel behind him as he was now pressed against a container within the shipyard. Rachel herself was before him with a large hook covered in his own blood. His eyes were wide as they stared at her; they were not shocked with fear, but with eagerness. A bloody gurgle of laughter was erupting from him as he tongued the wound upon his face. He would feel his tongue slip through the slice and could not help but laugh even more.

“Never knew you liked to play it rough and harsh, Miss Dawes…” Even though the Joker was the pinned one, cold steel ran hungrily along Rachel’s cooled flesh. He pushed hard enough for her skin to indent and for her panties to fall to the muddy ground as he cut them off. Large sienna eyes gazed down at her with manic pleasure as the tide for power seemed to shift back and forth. The knife was lethargically dragged along her flesh up until he pushed the tip of the blade into her bellybutton; enough to scare and cause a tiny cut.

Her mouth wordlessly opening and closing amidst her horror, Rachel gaped back at the Joker as his scarred grin seemed to stretch upon noting her fear. Feeling utterly humiliated, Rachel clenched the hook tighter amidst her grasp as she felt the blade continue to do its damage, her eyes narrowing as she suddenly lunged backward so as to escape any further injury.

Panting with adrenaline, Rachel moved to run around him, but released a shriek when she felt his gloved hand clasp about her arm.

Indeed, leathered hands cascaded around her wrist as the Joker swung her around, his lips brushing against her right ear as he whispered, "Now, now, where do you think you’re going?" He giggled as a smidgen of blood began to roll down the corner of his scarred lips. Through the momentum, he pinned her facing the metal container. The knife was still contained in his right hand, but that was now pressed against her skull with a large fist full of hair along with it. The left was holding onto her wrist, pinning her arm behind her back. Slowly leaning back, he examined her body from her shoulders down her to her back, buttocks, and legs. An accepting whistle escaped his lips as he leaned in to whisper into her ear. "Now, now, do I have to break one of the prett-y bones in this...wonderful body of yours?" he purred as he dragged his bloodstained tongue over her ear as he nibbled upon it afterward. He exemplified his words by twisting her left arm up further.

Giving a cry, Rachel felt tears burning along her lashes as she promptly stomped on his foot, her anger monumental as she shrieked, "Let go of me, you bastard! I don't have anything you want, and I know you don't have anything I want, so just let me go!"

The Joker was silent as his right hand released her and slowly pushed back his hair; he did not laugh at his foot being stomped. With the Joker, pain meant fun, and he wasn't laughing at the moment. Pressing against her, a wave of heat attacked her body as his own unintentionally shielded her from the cold rain. Letting his right arm fall down straight, the blade was tapped upon her right thigh. He soon grew a rhythm with his tapping as he looked around and licked his lips as if wanting to say something, thinking. Then he leaned back in and whispered, "You do have something I want, and before it seemed I did have something you wanted... Or was that you just playing an oh-so-naugh-ty game with me?"

Rachel shivered. "You mean that stupid game you forced me into playing? If you're going to try what I think you are, you can just forget it!" Struggling about, Rachel gave a yelp when she felt the Joker slam her more forcefully against the metal container. Trembling, she managed to growl out, "And will you put that stupid knife away!? One would think that you were trying to compensate for something..."

'Oh, shit' Rachel thought, 'that was SO stupid...'

"No, I am referring to that love-uh-ly statement of yours... If I do remember, you were expecting me to do something... else?" His tone was playful and cheerful, but still sickly twisted. As she struggled, he decided to ram her against the crate with all of his weight for her to learn how weak and helpless she was. Upon the slam, the knife was pulled away from her flesh. He was silent as he ran her derisive words through his mind over and over again; there was no giggle, no laugh, nothing. Suddenly for what seemed like a lifetime of breathing and wondering what was going to happen next, he leaned in to whisper in against her jaw line as his left hand released her arm and forced her face to shift. Leather fingers gripped her jaw rather harshly as he stared at her. His hand was there and he thrust the knife into her mouth, pressing hard against her cheek. "Deary, would you mind saying that again?" The Joker’s left hand released her face and he spun her so that her back burrowed into the metal. Next came his right knee which slammed against her legs to separate them as he drew closer, sandwiching her body to the crate. His left hand arose once more to stroke her right cheek. "I don't think I heard you." He was whispering, and he never whispered.

Trembling, Rachel winced as she felt the cold metal cut into the side of her mouth, her own blood pervading her senses with its coppery flavor. With a shuddery intake of breath, she choked out, "I...I'm sorry." She sounded so pitiful saying it, but she truly didn't want to be found dead and half-naked. In the long run, she knew that getting on the Joker's good side would benefit her far better than her other option.

Not daring to move, she hopefully added, "C-can we pretend I never thought you were going to...to take advantage of me? Because I'm sure that we both have places we'd much rather be right now opposed to being soaking wet in the rain..."

Rachel knew that she was pushing her luck, but she had to at least try.

If it was even possible, the Joker drew closer to the point of suffocating her with his entire being. The knife bit further into her mouth after her pitiful display of fear consumed her, and her survival instincts kicked in to please rather then to anger. Tilting his head slightly, he appeared as if he were examining a piece of art and just now noticing that there was a scratch on it; a scratch upon a million dollar piece that he once thought was absolutely perfect.

Tilting his head the opposite way, his lips brushed against Rachel’s as he spoke, “Is it the scars…? Are they bothering you? Is that the problem?” Slowly letting his head creak to the opposite side of the spectrum, he lazily gazed at her with glazed eyes. “Are you…” His voice was horribly kind, soft, and eerily caring that clearly had an undertone of sociological problems. Suddenly his voice erupted into a loud roar, “…AFRAID?!” he snarled, baring his yellow fangs before her face, and his dark sienna eyes cracked into tiny slits. Letting his tongue slither over his lips, he watched her reaction, gauging it. The intentions of before were quickly fading away as his brain snapped over into maim and kill mode.

Shifting the knife slightly so as to start a new tiny cut, he licked his lips again as if thinking of what to say. “My mask is gone…what do you think of the man before you?” he asked coldly, a tone demanding an honest answer. The Joker’s facial mask had completely run off, his flesh color clearly visible with a red tint to his scars and his eye sockets were a shade darker from the paint. The Joker’s jaw clenched as he waited, and due to the impatience of his question, the knife bit once more into the edge of her lip.

Gazing up at him in utter astonishment, Rachel felt her knees quiver violently as she tried her damndest to stay on her feet. She was cold, tired, and frightened out of her wits, but not because of the Joker's suggestions. Moaning slightly at the pain from the knife, Rachel shuddered when the rain began to coalesce with her blood and paint her chin a diluted pink.

Glaring up at him, Rachel found that most of her malice couldn't be channeled toward this new man...this stranger, because he wasn't the face she was used to. He was...almost disarming, and that's what alarmed her the most.

Careful to avoid the knife as she spoke, Rachel's gaze softened as she returned, "No, I’m not afraid...I can't be afraid of a man I've never met."

The response was cryptic and most likely not what the Joker was looking for, but Rachel felt that it was the safest reply she could offer. In all honesty, she wasn't sure how she felt about his new appearance. Deep within a dull ache formed inside her heart, for she now knew that he had once been remotely attractive. To have your face marred for God knows what reason was positively horrifying...

The edges of the Joker’s lips twitched as a small snort escaped him, his head leaning in to press against the crate by the side of her head. Narrowing his eyes towards her through his net of wet hair, he whispered to her ear, "You are the first to ever say that-uh..." He clicked his tongue afterward, the knife was withdrawn from her mouth and at the end of his sentence, Rachel found her last piece of cloth protection fall to the ground. The knife had sliced through the straps of her bra as he ran it along her collarbone, then into the dip, and finally trailing onto the other bone. His left hand was snaking behind her back with his gloved digits resting upon her left hip.

Shifting his head back with his nose in the air, he stared down at her, then swiveled his head so that it was tilted right before her own. "I won't kill you...That would be too boring, you should have realized this by now..." The knife was brought up to tap her upon the nose ever so slightly so as not to cut her. Chuckling suddenly, he felt her shivers from the cold and moved the blade, pulling her body away from the cold crate to instead be pressed against a warm, soaked sociopath that had a fetish for knives. "I just want to play with someone who is interesting..."

Still shivering, Rachel found that she was frozen with shock and disgust. "How can I possibly interest you?" she irefully demanded. "I'm nothing like you, and...and I hate all that you stand for!"

Teeth chattering, the attorney cursed as the thick droplets of rain began to fall down upon them harder and faster, a small moan of discontent escaping her lips as the water streamed down over her shoulders, erect breasts, stomach, and back.

The Joker’s left arm curled further to press her into him as his right hand slithered through her hair, pushing it away from her face. Then a shocking surprise blew up in Rachel's face as his lips captured her own in a rather passionate kiss, his tongue snaking around, attempting to entice the other dancer to waltz with him. The coppery taste of her blood mixing with his own amused him as well as turned him on even further. His arms suddenly left the side of her face and waist, rather taking hold of her wrists and pinning them above her head. A piece of hanging chain was used to bind her hands as he kicked up the hook and caught it with his right. The left hand held the chain as he jammed the massive hook into the links as a makeshift lock.

Leaning back down to her face, he giggled. "Opposites attract, and if I may say, you do attract-uh..."

Still tasting their coppery-flavored blood on her tongue, Rachel panted in fear as she began squirming amidst her bindings, her eyes like blue electric ice as she stared him down in outrage. "Let me go, you monster!" she shrieked, her bosoms heaving as she gave yet another tug at the chains. "If you don't, you know damn well that Harvey will come after you!"

Although the threat was rather hollow, Rachel was beyond desperate, the rain matting her hair to her face as she gazed up at him with pleading eyes. Before she could further beg with him to spare her, Rachel’s mind went reeling as the Joker pinched her nerves and sent her into a state of unconsciousness. The world began to fade into darkness as a silhouetted figure stood before her with the rising sun behind him. What she didn’t see was the wicked smile upon the unmasked man. Just as her world went black, a murmuring began to twist and wrap around her ears. Her body felt extremely heavy as if she were made from solid iron, and even her eyelids chose not to move as her hearing began to increase. The murmurs were turning into words here and there, but the entirety of what was being said faded away as everything grew silent once more.

The next stage of awareness kicked in as her ears began to burn with a calm voice speaking, and a familiar one talking back in a panicked but relieved tone. Her body no longer felt so heavy, and when she opened her eyes, she found that her world was extremely blurry. Within seconds, her vision cleared to see a man in a white lab coat speaking with none other than Harvey Dent. The DA looked like he hadn’t slept in days due to the large black pools underneath his eyes, disheveled hair, and a tie lazily thrown over his shoulders rather then around his neck. The conversation was about her health it seemed, and from what she gathered from the words in front of her, it was rather shocking.

The doctor spoke calmly as he held her charts. “She’s been out cold for the past three days…Miss Dawes has also been running a violent fever from being out in that horrible storm, and was on average one-hundred and six degrees. We had to put her in a frozen state or she would have died.”

Harvey ran a hand over his mouth and shook his head. "Sweet Jesus...I can't thank you enough for informing me when you did. I know it's rather presumptuous, but did she say anything during her state of unconsciousness? Like a name or other indicator as to why she was outside like that?"

The doctor shook his head, "The only thing she has said was nothing short of babble... They were not words, that is in English they weren't... Her face was cut up slightly, and there were a few cuts upon her body along with numerous bruises and lacerations. She is lucky she didn't die out in that storm... We still do not know who left her here, but she was placed on our doorstep in what clearly looked like men's clothing."

Harvey's jaw visibly tightened. "And did you give her a physical? Has she been...er...I-I mean, has she been...um...?" Finding that he could hardly associate the words with his sweet Rachel, Harvey bowed his head before lowly finishing, "Has she been violated?"

As he sat awaiting the answer, he felt himself stiffen in anticipation.

The man in the white coat shook his head. "The full physical showed no trauma, so she was not forced, if that helps any. It does look as if she were beaten around like a rag doll, though…are you two partaking in an important case right now? You may have some enemies that are attempting to terrorize you both." Stopping suddenly, he moved towards the closet where the clothing was kept. "She did have this, though..." He pulled out a small bag and handed it over to Harvey, revealing a bunch of Joker cards. "She was clutching it to her chest when we found her…it was practically crushed in her grasp." He placed his free hand into his pocket. "I honestly don’t know the situation, but she could have died..." Looking over, he noticed that Rachel was awake. "Ah, Miss Dawes..." The doctor moved towards her calmly and slowly, "You are in Gotham General...how do you feel?" He sat down on a swivel chair next to her.

Blinking up at the older man in bewilderment, Rachel parted her chapped lips before giving a soft groan, her bleary eyes coming into focus as she rasped out, "I...I feel fine... How did I get here? Where...where is he?"

“Where’s who, Rachel? Who’s harmed you!?” Harvey demanded, his eyes ablaze as he came to her side.

Refusing to answer, Rachel pulled the covers up to her chin and glanced about her with wide, terrified eyes.

The doctor sighed, raising a hand to Harvey. "Please calm yourself Mr. Dent…from the looks of her body, she has been through enough hostility. Now…" Turning his gaze back down to Rachel, he continued, "Miss Dawes, your beloved Mr. Dent is here, and I am Doctor Jean Giullare...can you think back to the last thing that you remember? Maybe how you got out in the rain? Or how you got these wounds?"

Blushing at the memory, Rachel promptly shook her head. To admit to her fiancé and some man she'd never met that she was playing strip poker, of all things, and with a demented clown, of all people, would undoubtedly cause a bunch of heads to roll. Leaning back more snugly against her pillow, she glanced back and forth between the two men before dryly rasping, "I-I'm sorry, but...I can't."

Harvey was ready to burst out crying and swinging at the first thing that decided to move in his direction. He was confused and emotionally unstable. His fiancée had disappeared for days, only to return in a near death state with him being able to do nothing. "You don't remember, Rach?" He was truly worried as he moved towards her and knelt down beside her.

The doctor scooted away. "I shall leave you two be, but please tell me when you two are finished so that I may finish my report." Jean left quickly, leaving the two to be alone.

When the doctor was fully out of sight, Rachel quickly shook her head before confessing, "No, I-I don't...nothing at all. Not even a color or scent...not a single tangible memory comes to mind."

Harvey breathed out heavily, he knew when she was lying, even in the current state he was in. "Does this help?" He held out the Joker card within his hand, the type upon the surface reading: 'Will The Real Rachel Dawes Please Play My Game? HA HA HA HA HA.' "Or is it all just a past memory you don't want to tell me?" His voice was cracking.

Rachel began to visibly shake, tears now cutting down her cheeks in salty tracks as she whispered, "Harvey, I'm so sorry, but I can't... I mean, I don't want to tell you, and I know you won't believe me because of all the lies I've just told, but please trust me when I say that nothing happened. It was a harmless, stupid game...nothing more."

Flinching, Rachel bowed her head as she inwardly pleaded that he'd just accept her excuse without further questioning.

The card fluttered to the blankets as Harvey’s hands reached forward shakily, cupping her cheeks as he forced her gently to look at him. He was crying, sheer worry spread across his face as he dropped himself upon her. His head resting upon her shoulder, he whispered, "I don't care what happened... All I care about is the fact that you are here with me. You can tell me any time, but as long as you are here, I’m happy." His arms wrapped around her frame, pulling her close to him. His entire body was quaking with gratitude to God for giving his Rachel back to him.

Rachel bit her lip as she shakily placed a hand over his head, her fingers gently stroking his hair as she felt her heart break. She couldn't quite explain it, but she felt exceptionally guilty for all the pain she'd put him through, when in actuality she hadn't even been thinking of him and his feelings.

"You should get some sleep...You need to rest alright, honey?" Harvey suggested as kissed her cheek and stood up with a weak smile. "I’m just glad I have you back..." He leaned over and placed a small peck on her lips. "Get some rest, okay?"

Rachel miserably nodded. "Yeah, alright...stay close by though, will you? I'd like to think you'll be there if I need you around."

"Anything for you, Rachel." He smiled as he kissed her forehead. "Call me, and I will be here that second" he murmured, then began walking backwards towards the door. He feared that if he turned around that she would disappear, and when he did turn around, he felt dread.

Smiling a reassuring smile, Rachel then snuggled back against the pillows and closed her eyes as she listened to Harvey's soft footfalls as they gradually carried him away from her.

Several moments passed, and with each agonizing stroke of the clock, Rachel began to feel more and more distressed. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something about the hospital was causing her to feel a great sense of unease...

Night soon fell, and throughout the evening nurses came in to check on her for tests, general welfare, and to feed her. When darkness consumed the outside world, the hospital drew a disturbing silence, especially in the ward that Rachel was currently residing. Down the hall was a waiting room with various objects inside: a TV or two, various chairs, and even an old piano in the far corner of the room. The moon shown brightly as it beamed cheerfully down upon Rachel’s room, giving it an interesting glow as the sound of a piano playing began to echo down the hall. The melody was sadistically solemn as a familiar voice began to sing an accompaniment with the sorrowful piece.

“What makes you think that it'll all work out in the end? Afraid to feel bad? Better off to try and pretend. I'm immortal, immune to all that is wrong….Just keep on wishing. Crossing my fingers. so long. Is this helping? I'm growing weaker each day. Can't stop whining. Still afraid of what I might say or reactions, that control us one and all….It's mine, it's pure and as decent as I can make myself. Inside, we all know, only the strong survive….” The Joker’s fingers delicately danced upon the ebony and ivory keys, his eyes closed as he bobbed his head from left to right with the rhythm.

“Why don't you think about that? So now I'm bleeding on myself, yes once again. Seems I trusted another deceitful friend. My fault. should've known the deal. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer, for real. Seems easy, but nothing could be so hard. Trying to guess life’s dealing. What's the next card? I'm surely folding….I don't like this hand at all.” The Joker continued the melody with his left hand as his right hand came up to flip a few cards that were laid out across the top of the closed piano. The cards were set out in solitaire style. Then his right hand floated back down to the piano as he continued,

“It's mine, it's pure and as decent as I can make myself. Inside, we all know, only the strong survive…Keep those eyes wide open, here comes a blind side….Maybe things happen for a reason and wherein lies the answer. To overcome the grieving of life’s unruly lessons. I’m handed in succession. It builds my pain which makes me strong….It's mine, it's pure and as decent as I can make myself. Inside, we all know, only the strong survive….You will survive…I will survive…We will survive…” His fingers continued to play with the keys as he drew out the melancholy song, his voice fit too perfectly to the melody as if actions were taking from life situations. Tsking suddenly, he licked his lips as he looked down at the keys. “You are horribly…horribly out of tune” he muttered with a giggle as he fixed the doctor’s coat around his shoulders. He had shanked a doctor, who lay in a bloody pile with his throat slit in a closet.

Clutching at her sheets, Rachel slowly sat up in bed as if trying to decipher the eerie melody and voice, but to her disappointment, she found that the song had stopped nearly as soon as it had begun.

"Strange" she remarked, her brows furrowing as she leaned back to her rightful position. "Must've been an orderly..."

Suddenly the sounds of footsteps nearing echoed throughout the hallway as the doctor appeared. Leaning against the doorframe, his hands lazily grabbed the clipboard and held it in front of his face. "Hmm...how in-ter-es-ting..." He tsked as he read her report. "So they had to put you on ice, huh, bea-u-ti-ful?" He grinned as he flipped through the documents, then placed them back in their clear plastic container. His bare hands were then thrust into his pockets as he leaned upon the frame. The Joker was before her, dressed as a doctor, and there was a nice sized smear of blood across the left shoulder that was well worth noting. "So how are you feeling, hmm?" he asked as he tilted his head, cracking his neck as he moved towards her.

"You!" Rachel hissed, the anger evident upon her face as she scrambled to get out of her covers. To her dismay, she was attached to an IV and this prevented her from making a swift escape, a pained shriek escaping her lips as she tore the needle out of her arm and fell to the floor. Glancing up at the Joker in horror, she demanded, "W-what do you want from me now? My God, haven't you already done enough!?"

Slowly closing the glass door with a cheerful hum, the Joker couldn't help but smile at the situation. "You may want to, uh...close your gown before I get aroused-uh" he purred to her as he motioned towards her rather delectable rear mooning the world. As he turned around after closing the door, he moved over and crouched down in front of her, a frown forming upon his face as he was clearly faking empathy. "I was worried about you, and I wanted to see how you were doing...can't a guy do that?"

Rachel snorted, her body hurriedly flipping over to cover her sudden nudity. Scowling, she snapped "Don't make me laugh! If you really cared, you wouldn't have knocked me unconscious in the first place, you monster!" Now scooting a tad further away from him, she hissed, "I can get security in here in a heartbeat, if need be, so you'd better watch yourself!"

The Joker giggled as he showed her his empty hands. "You were running a fever, you could not see your face, but I could. You were as red as a cherry, and you cuh-learly told me that you held no attraction to me...so I took it up as a fever, and when I kissed you, I cleared that assumption. In fact it was a fever, and hence why you were brought here. Like I told you, if I had wanted to kill you Miss Dawesss, I would have done so long ago."

Rachel was tempted to laugh. "What, so your explanation for kissing me was to prove that I had a fever? Why didn't you just use your hand like any other normal human being?" Frowning, she begrudgingly admitted, "But you did leave me here, so I guess...um...I guess I should be grateful in some sick, twisted way." Smirking, she added, "At first I thought you were going to say you thought I was ill since I didn't find you attractive... I never said that I found you unattractive, but...ok, scratch that. I abhor you."

The Joker giggled as he placed his chin atop of his fists. "Ooohhh..." He cooed like a child, "Now you abhor me? How cruuuel..." He snickered then opened his eyes. "In all seriousness, I did come here to see how you were faring...I was wondering if I’d inadvertently killed you..." He was dead serious; he wasn't laughing, nor was he yanking her chain. His sienna eyes stared over at her as he watched her. Even if she hated him, he would help her if she needed it, and he would make her love him at any cost...even if it meant a pseudo-death.

Rachel blinked. "You can't be serious..." And yet, to her astonishment, she could see that he was, her cheeks growing rosy as she suddenly found herself uncomfortable beneath his probing stare. "Thank you...I guess" she fumbled, her hand now rubbing at her arm as she noticed that he was still a little too close to her body for comfort. "Now that you see I'm ok, do you need any further confirmation? Like...do I need to do a handstand or rub my stomach while patting my head?"

The Joker narrowed his eyes at her then completely closed them as he giggled. There was a loud smack, and Rachel knew the one object...or rather objects, that made that noise. "I propose a game" he purred to her as he pointed down to the deck of cards he’d just dropped to the floor between them. "And this one has rules you will love...and abhor."

Rachel blinked. "Another game of strip poker? Come on, be more original...I've only got a gown on! You'd win for sure!"

The Joker giggled as she assumed it was strip poker. "I just told you darrrling..." He brought up his right index finger as he shook it from side to side as if scolding her for a moment of blondeness. "Tsk tsk" He clicked his tongue then explained. "Poker yes, but not strip poker...that is unless you want it to be... The rules are easy. Win a hand, and you make the other do one thing, no matter what it is, to the exception of stopping this game. Win three times in the row, and you can declare the game over, and dismiss me into the shadows to never see or hear from me again." He tilted his head, "But remember that I have the same power, so if I win, you have to do something that I want you to dooo… And if I win three times in a row...well...if it happens, I will tell you."

Rachel balked. "You mean it? You'll really go if I win three times?" Despite the fact that she was fairly terrible at playing cards, she had to admit that the prospect of this game was disturbingly thrilling. Perhaps it was the fact that she was playing with a madman, but whatever it was, she nodded before urging, "Alright, deal 'em out."

He smiled. ‘Oh deary deary deary...The cat shouldn't play with curiousity, for curiousity kills Cat...’ he thought while dealing out the cards. "Alright, m'dear, since I dealt, show me whatcha got."

Holding up her hand so that she could assess them, Rachel frowned as she chewed on the inside of her cheek, her face growing hot as she discovered that she had a queen, three fives, and a Jack. Great…

Swallowing, the attorney placed the cards down onto the floor in defeat, her shoulders squaring as she uneasily asked, “W-what do you have?”

‘Please let it be worse than mine’ she inwardly prayed, ‘oh, please let it be worse than mine!’

Both eyebrows shot up as he crouched before her, looking down at her hand. For just dealing out, she was running with a Three of a Kind; it wasn't horrible, but then again it wasn't a safe guard either. Looking to his cards within his hand, he placed a thoughtful pout upon his face as his left hand began to fiddle and curl a strand of his greasy green-brown locks.

Tsking he threw down two cards face down and drew out two more and licked his lips with a quirked brow. Disappointing? Or interesting? he thought to himself
as he laid out his cards. His hands consisted of two fours, a ten, a seven, and a deuce. He had a One Pair, a hand lower then hers. "...You win this round-uh" he purred, then arched a brow even higher. "What will it be?" asked as he tilted his head, letting his chin fall upon his fists once more.

Clapping her hands due to the unexpected pleasure, Rachel quickly recomposed herself before leaning back with a smug look on her face. “Uhh, why don’t you tell me something about yourself? Liiike your real name? I doubt you were born with the ridiculous title ‘The Joker’”

Running his tongue against his cheek, tiny mountains began to appear as he pressed rather hard and began to swirl it around his mouth. He gazed away from her, letting his eyes drift of into that all encompassing space that seems to attract the bored or thoughtful. Tsking at the end, it seemed he actually had to think back to what his name was, or maybe yet, the things that his name had been connected to. Without moving, his eyes shifted back towards Rachel and arched both brows. "Rules are rules" he murmured with a few more clicks of his tongue. "My name is Jack, Miss Dawes... Nothing foreign, nothing special...just plain ol' Jack."

"It may be more ordinary than I was expecting" Rachel admitted, "but it's a nice name...suits you somehow. Probably because both of your titles can be found in a deck of cards." Studying his face, she smirked before adding, "But there's yet another pattern I've noticed...Joker and Jack both start with a "J", so either that really is your name, or you just have an affinity for surnames that begin with that letter. Either way, I just might have to start calling you Mr. J."

Now re-dealing the cards, Rachel found herself growing surprisingly comfortable as she asked, "Whaddaya have?"

The Joker growled at the 'Mr. J' suggestion and could not help but scoff as she said his name so carelessly. While rolling his tongue over his teeth, he picked up his cards and refused to smile. "Something you can't beat" he said calmly, then flipped the cards with a cackle. "I have a straight-uh flush, darrrrling." He laid out a flush that ran seven, eight, nine, ten, and a Jack of Diamonds.

The comfort that had once held her in its sweet embrace suddenly let go, her body entering a state of panic as she fell into the cruel arms of fate. Swallowing, Rachel cursed repeatedly inside her head as she laid down her useless cards, her gaze refusing to meet with his as she choked out, "W-what do you want me to do?"

Running his finger over the large slice upon his face, the Joker unconsciously followed the self-performed stitching of the hook wound. It twisted his face further, and it made him look like he was smiling a hell of a lot more on the one side of his face then the other. Closing his eyes, he thought for a few seconds, still crouching. His chin rested only on one fist now, then his eyes popped open as he darkly gazed over towards Rachel. A giggle escaped him as he clapped his hands together. "I know what I want you to do Miss Daaawes..." he purred with a yellow grin following soon after. "...I would like to know if you feel guilty from last night. I know you've seen Harvey-boy..."

Somehow this question caused Rachel to give a sigh of relief. "Is that all?" Shrugging, she returned, "Well yes, I suppose I do...I mean, I honestly didn't even think of his feelings until I saw him cry. Perhaps that's selfish of me, but it's not like I did anything with you but try and defend myself." As she watched him deal out their new hand, she winced as she asked, "Does it hurt? Um...the hook wound, I mean. Since you're here, you might as well see a doctor to check for an infection."

Avoiding his gaze, she reached for her cards and scowled when she saw her hand.

A series of cackles escaped the Joker as he shook his head rather violently. "I know how to deal with wounds-uh... It may look bad stitch-wise, but it does well." As he rearranged his cards, he looked over to her. "Laying them down, or are you gonna go for a hit, m'dear?"

"I'd better go for a hit, although I doubt that'll do much good" Rachel grumbled, immediately trading the cards for the offered ones. Now looking up at him with a scornful eye, she added rather sardonically, "And yeah, you really know how to take care of your wounds...lemme guess, your cheshire grin was a stitch-job of yours, too?" Rolling her eyes, she grumbled to herself as she laid down her worthless hand. "A five, two twos, a nine, and a Jack. Great."

Arching a brow at her horrible hand, and by horrible hand, it was meant as an explosive that does not want to blow up. Rocking over his cards, the Joker motioned down towards a flush. "Running Ace of Clubs, Three of Clubs, Seven of Clubs, Queen of Clubs, and the King of Clubs" he purred with a smile and blew her a kiss at the comment about his 'cheshire grin'.

Rachel's teeth gritted into a deep-set scowl full of frustration. "Quit with the wise-cracks, you clown! Er...shut up, you know what I mean!" Fuming, she seethed, "What do you want me to do now?"

Tilting his head, he listened to her fuming and could not help but giggle at her aggravation. "My dear Miss Dawes, do not fret... I am not as evil as people make me out to be.” Absent mindedly looking away from her, he hummed a tune to himself. Finally plopping his rear on the floor, he sat Indian style as he scooted closer to her before leaning in. Tilting his head he arched a brow before asking, "In your heart, who do you looove?"

Raising a brow, Rachel demanded, "And why do you want to know? What is this, Sweet Valley High?" When the Joker gave her a penetrating look, she sighed before agreeing, "Alright, alright, fair's fair, but in all seriousness, I don't have an answer for you. Not one that I could consider the whole truth, anyway. I'm kind of a…er, loner, I guess. I love, but not in the traditional sense." Shrugging, she mumbled, "Sorry, but I guess I never really thought about it before..."

Now looking up at the Joker with a wry smile, she added, "And now that I've spilt my heart and soul onto the floor, I think it's time to deal again so I can get you back for such a ridiculous question."

He shrugged and handed her the cards. "Your deal, love" he purred with a lick of his lips. Leaning back, he watched as the cards appeared face down before them, the anticipation raised. If he won this round, his decree lasted forever... It seemed that Rachel had forgotten about that.

Rather annoyed by his pet name for her, the attorney flipped over her cards before giving a small smile. "Three of a Kind" she announced, now laying them face-down with a pleased gleam in her blue eyes. "I believe I might've just won this round."

"Honey..." The Joker murmured as he pointed to her cards, "You do realize that a Three of a Kind has five tiers of hands higher than it? And you do realize that if I win, what I ask you must do till you die, yes?"

Rachel felt her cheeks grow hot. "W-well, I...I thought that perhaps your luck had finally run out" she insisted, not wanting to appear like a fool. Chewing on the inside of her lip, she nodded once before agreeing, "And yes, I understand that, but...but you're not going to win." Suddenly a look of determination crossed her features, and she almost seemed to be daring him to contradict her.

Arching a brow high, the Joker chuckled. "Oh really, darrrrling?" he purred as he licked his lips. He flipped over his hand to reveal triplet set of fours, and two fives; her hand was higher due to her higher tiered cards. Chuckling as he looked down, he then looked over to her and smiled darkly. "You won this round-uh."

Rachel scowled. "Wait a minute, I thought we were only playing one round...that if I won three times, you'd leave and never come back."

"You did not listen to me, dar-ling...The rules were if you won three times in a row, I would leave you be...You ran face first into the game without think-ing..." he chimed out as he rose an index figure, scolding her for her brashness and eagerness.

Scowling, Rachel pouted before grumbling, "Alright, alright, fine, but I still think I'll remain the victor...winning's always come rather naturally to me, as you already know." Now smirking, she added, "And since you asked such a sappy question, it's only fair if I ask the same...who do you love, Joker? Or is the great clown prince of crime even capable of love?"

"You have asked two questions, which do you prefer me to answer suh-weet cheeks?" he murmured as he placed his feet upon the floor, letting his elbows rest on top of his knee caps. Both hands rested lazily as his fingers twiddled as if twirling something invisible.

Rachel twisted her lips. "The first one, of course...I was merely elaborating." Although she was completely apathetic on the outside, she had to admit that she was intrigued by the Joker's potential answer.

"Does the Clown Prince of Crime love?" He giggled as he lurched backwards and slapped one of his knees. After the giggling fit subsided, he suddenly threw himself forward into her face with wide eyes. He began to whisper to her, "You really want to know?" He motioned for her to move closer. "C'mere..."

Blinking, Rachel found herself easing slightly nearer despite her better judgement. She was intrigued since she genuinely believed that he would tell her a secret...something he'd never let a single soul hear before.

The Joker looked to the left, then to the right, then back to the left once more as if to make sure no one was in the room with them. Even the dust wasn't allowed to hear as he leaned in and whispered into Rachel's ear, cupping it. "I...love..." He jumped back throwing his arms up in the air as he hollered, "BATSY!" He gave a maniac giggle as he fell upon his back, kicking and howling with laughter. When he was finished, he suddenly stopped dead, laying there as if a corpse. "...In all honesty...The only person I have ever loved-uh...and I assume you refer not to maternal nor paternal love, but rather the other, I can honestly say that I’m in-fat-u-ate-ed with a certain person...I don't know if it is, love-uh." He slowly sat up, tilting his head with a cackle. "It should be obvious that it’s youuu" he purred as he pointed to Rachel. "Happy now?"

Rachel had been quite close to kicking him for his joke, but now her face was a bright shade of pink as she clutched at the folds of her hospital gown. "M-me?" she squeaked, suddenly feeling dizzy, "But why? I-I hate you!"

And yet she didn't...despite how uncomfortable he made her feel, she'd felt a certain camaraderie during their silly little game.

Keeping her eyes glued firmly to the floor, she muttered to herself as she pushed him the cards. "Deal them, please..."

The Joker noted her change of tone as well as her reaction, and inside of him a black smile began to unfurl as the gears started to turn. While dealing out the cards, he giggled. "You are up one to nothing... Next round." He picked up his hand, then exchanged four out of the five for four new ones, then looked over to her. "Hit?"

"Yes, please" she grumbled, clearly displeased with her current set of cards. After exchanging them, she sat back and observed her hand with a disgusted tsk. "Umm, I've got two sixes, a two, an eight, and a King…a completely shitty hand." Wincing, she added, "What should I do? And please tell me it's something easy like telling you my middle name..."

The Joker dropped his hands with a small scowl, then a giggle purred from his lips. He was excited about what the other would make him due over the loss of a perfect chance of terrorizing the poor woman before him. "I've got only high cards...it is still lower then a two pair, you win again... You are up two to nothing...what is my punish-ment-uh?"

Rachel blinked in astonishment. "You mean...I won? Like, really?" When the Joker nodded, she gave a squeal of delight, her arms subconsciously hugging herself as she realized that she was one step closer to freedom. Now recomposing herself, she grinned before urging, "Tell me when you had your first kiss...that's always an embarrassing story with men, so I figured I'd see your side of it. And let me guess, you didn't get kissed until you were twenty-five?"

Suddenly throwing his head back while supporting himself with his arms behind his back, the Joker arched a brow as he thought. Slithering his tongue across his lips as irritation started to grow upon his face, he slowly pulled himself up so that he was in the Indian position again. He just stared over at her rather before returning rather quietly, "...Five."

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Five? Good God, you're such a man-whore! I at least waited until the blossoming age of thirteen...yeesh!" Dealing out the cards, she smirked while asking, "Well did you at least like it, or am I not allowed to know? I'll bet you were a terrible kisser."

Holding up her cards, she groaned and smacked her forehead. "Not another Three of a Kind..."

The Joker arched a brow as he cracked his jaw by forcefully dropping it. He was irritated, but why? What she had made him think about? Glaring down at the cards, he shook his head at her questions. "My past is the past and exactly that; you don't really want to go there, Miss Dawes. Someone as...righteous as you wouldn't like it-uh."

Rachel snorted. "Righteous? Me? Look Clown Boy, if you knew some of my own past, you'd know I was anything but righteous." Smirking at the memories, she asked, "So what do you have? Preferably a losing hand, of course."

He didn't bother looking at his cards and just flipped his wrist around, letting the cards fall where they fell. Gazing down at them irritably, he cocked a brow with a sly smile plastered upon his face. "...I've got a Four of a Kind... Four Burger Kings to be exact, and a Bitch of a Heart… A Queen, that is."

Rachel chewed on her lower lip. "Shit...well ok then, what lame question are you going to make me answer now? When my first time was? If it was as magical as in the story books?"

Staring at her, the Joker propped his elbow up on his left knee as his head tilted onto his open palm. Shifting his sienna orbs over towards her, he took her questions in and then spoke. "Kiss me."

"What!?" Feeling the blood rush to her head, Rachel felt the sudden urge to slap the goon for requesting something so out of bounds. Practically seething, she took him roughly by the lapels of his doctor's suit and snarled, "I hope this ends up being the worst kiss you've ever had, ‘cause it sure as hell is gonna be mine!"

With one last indignant scowl in his direction, Rachel pulled him in for a surprisingly brutal kiss. Her intense anger was in part to thank for this, but she also believed that their first kiss should be as rough and electrically-charged as their fights.

Listening to her problems with his request, the Joker was about to open his mouth when he was roughly grabbed, pulled, and attacked by the brutal and rather angry Rachel Dawes. Snapping from the surprise, Rachel found that he returned the favor in equal brutality. His arms immediately snaked around her waist, reeling her body against his as his tongue battled with her own for supremacy. Contrary to what Rachel thought, the Joker being a horrible kisser turned out to be quite false.

Squirming amidst his embrace, Rachel tried to free herself, but she found that the Joker's arms were keeping her pressed flush against his solid form. Whimpering, she tried to push him over onto his side, but she found that this only succeeded in bringing her down onto the tile floor with him. Feeling his tongue slip past her lips, Rachel shivered as an undeniable pull began to flare within her loins. Repulsed and completely embarrassed, she pulled her lips away from his before panting, "Stop...please."

From her jerking and shifting, the cards scatted around the floor as the Joker laid down upon them. Arching a brow as he stared up at the woman upon him. "Was it that horrible?" he questioned darkly, mocking her statement from before and yet his arms did not release her just yet. Shifting his eyes slightly, he looked to his right to see a few of the cards scattered upon the floor. "Hmm..." Then he looked back up at her, waiting for her answer. "Answer honestly." He murmured with an evil cackle.

"Sorry, but you only get one request" Rachel snarled, her cheeks still a delightful shade of rouge. "I'm not required to answer that, so I'd suggest you get that high school locker room grin off your face before I wipe it off for you!"

Feeling her insides quiver with her frayed nerves, she bit her lip as she inwardly promised herself that she would never tell him the truth.

"Fine, collect the cards...it's your deal." He purred up to her, not releasing her waist. ‘She can deal while sitting on me, good enough’ he cackled to himself as he writhed slightly underneath her with glee.

"Stop that!" Rachel shrieked, fighting off a small whine as she felt him brush against her already stimulated nub. "How the hell can I deal if you won't stop moving!?"

Shaking as she dealt out the cards, she lifted her hand up to her face before taking in a deep breath. "I've got...um...nothing. How 'bout you?"

The Joker fanned out his cards with one hand while his right was firmly upon her waist, keeping her where she was. Arching a brow from behind the cards as he lay flat on his back, he purred, "You've got nothing...I've got something." He giggled with glee as he twisted his wrist to show her a Straight. "Deuce of Clubs, Three of Diamonds, Four of Spades, Five of Hearts, and Six of Clubs..." He giggled maniacally since he now had two wins on her and a request.

"Dammit!" Throwing her cards in his face, Rachel glared down at him through electrically charged eyes, her breathing now picking up in tempo as she demanded, "What the hell do you want from me now, you pervert? And it had better be something I'd be willing to do on a normal basis!"

The Joker couldn’t help but writhe underneath her with wide eyes as she threw the cards in his face. Arching his back, and subsequently raising his hips, he was thrown into a fit of laughter at her anger and expression. Giggling, he laid back down upon the cold tiles and purred, "I want to know the answer to my question."

Rachel was highly tempted to tell him to "fuck off", but she knew she was bound by his stupid code of honor to answer truthfully. Twisting her lips into a disgusted pout, Rachel fidgeted uncomfortably in his lap before mumbling, "Well, it wasn't bad, if that's what you want me to say..." Glaring down at him, she added, "But you had no right to do that, because I never would've let you kiss me had it been under different circumstances!" As if to emphasize her point, she gave him a knuckle to the ribs.

A loud gasp erupted from him as the air was knocked out of him. Laying there, he just stared up at her before grumbling, "Alright, alright... I just wanted a yes or a no, so I shall take it-uh..." His arm no longer around her as he shuffled, the Joker handed her five cards. "Now, now, whatcha got, beau-ti-ful...or would you prefer to have me hit on you?" The ‘on’ was quickly added in as he didn't look to his hand.

Rachel curled her upper lip in disgust, but she shook her head. "No thanks, I've got a decent hand for once...if I win, we'll be tied." Now lying her cards down on his chest, she grinned before revealing, "Four of a Kind, Mr. J."

He twitched violently as she called him 'Mr. J' again, and for some reason he just found it irritating. "We are not tied, three in a row Miss Dawes... Thu-reee..." He purred aloud, correcting her as he flipped his cards over on top of hers. "Oooh, Four of a Kind, very high, very high… But my Straight Flush beats your Four of a Kind..." He giggled as he showed her sheer royalty in the spades. It was from Ace to ten and all faces in-between. Letting his head drop back down to the floor, he just laid there as he looked up at her. As for his request? He honestly had not expected to win.

"NO! You cheated!" Rachel shrieked, her hands grabbing at his sleeves as she began searching them for other cards. "C'mon, I know you've got to be hiding them somewhere...don't make me perform a full body search!"

"Miss Rachel Dawes...I am a man of my word. I may manipulate and swerve around the bush with my logic and words, but I do not cheat-uh." The fact that she said 'full body search' made him erupt into a thrash of giggles and writhing joy.

Not finding the situation amusing in the slightest, Rachel peevishly demanded, "Alright, then what the hell do you want from me? I can't imagine what I could give you that you'd want for the rest of your life!"

The Joker couldn't help but continue laughing at her confusion and anger. After his manic laughter had subsided, he laid there quiet and tilted his head as he smiled slightly. "Give me a chance" he said calmly.

"A chance? A chance at what?" Rachel demanded. "A chance to finish your stupid little giggling fit? Because you've definitely had more than enough time to do that, and..." Suddenly comprehending his meaning, she blushed before asking, "W-well how do you propose I do that?"

"Um, Miss Dawes, I may look how I do, but I do understand what a date is... And you typically start here...unless you thought I was referring to sex, 'cause how we are ain't bad for me."

Rachel balked. "A date!? You...I mean...you actually want to go out on a date? Like, dressed up and living it up and having a night on the town? That doesn't sound like you... I'm more inclined to agree that I was expecting your second answer."

Ignoring the lecherous look in his eye, she added, "H-Harvey wouldn't like it..."

"The date? Oh well, thought I would try the traditional route...instead we can play around here...no one's looking.." The Joker’s laughter erupted as it broke into a massive grin while he narrowed eyes. Both of his hands took hold of Rachel's hips and pushed her down so that she was over his own instead of his abdomen. Then he arched his hips up and ground hard against her with a chuckle. "Poor, poor, poor Harvey..."

Rachel cried out in accordance with his actions, her eyes narrowing into a glare as she wordlessly ordered him to never do that again. "This isn't very traditional" she hissed, but her voice was notably huskier. "I...ugh, stop that! Er...I would've thought that kissing and hand-holding was traditional, not dry humping on a hospital floor!"

"Well it seems now you are thinking of Harrrvey..." the Joker snorted aloud as he laid back down on the floor and placed his hands behind his head. "Want me to think of something else, then?" He tapped a finger to his forehead and narrowed his gaze on her as a lecherous look appeared upon his face. "The gears are always turning..."

Rachel swallowed. "Since I don't like that look you're giving me, I'm going to have to say no..." Blushing, she added, "And I was not thinking of Harvey, I...um..." Shit. She should've been thinking of her boyfriend, shouldn't she? Chewing her lip, she glared down at the Joker before grumbling, "Alright, tell it to me straight...what do I have to do? I'm tired of waiting like this."

Pushing himself up, the Joker was soon standing up, holding Rachel in his arms as he deposited her onto the hospital bed with a giggle. Tapping her nose with his index finger, he smiled as he leaned in and placed a small peck and lick upon her cheek. He gave a quiet whisper with a devilish smile as he purred, "Pick you up at eight..."

A/N - Sorry, but she wants you to beg again... XD