Arkham Days

Our heads all jerked up to see the Joker edging closer into our circle. He reached around grabbing a chair causing us to wince as he dragged it across the floor to join our circle. He pulled it slowly to my side, sitting between Jervis and myself. Joker slid in closer to me grabbing the bottom of my chair and sliding it towards him. I felt the chair jerk in his direction, and then jolt the opposite way, as Edward pulled the chair back throwing his arm across my shoulders, and pulling me towards him.



"Ballsy, ah- Edward." Joker smacked. "Didn't know you had it in you."



"I have more than that, and it's Riddler to you."



"Oh-ho!" The Joker leaned back in his chair laughing. "And , ah, what is it you think you have Riddler?"



"Time."



"Oh? What ex-actly is time going to get you?"



"It's not about me, Joker. " Nigma laughed. "It's about what it's going to get you." Joker's eyes narrowed as he looked at Riddler. His head snapped to the side, a second to late to see a very large Killer Croc charging at him. Their bodies collided and Waylon sent Joker sliding back on the floor. To everyone's surprise the Joker merely laughed picking himself off the floor and turning to face Croc. Edward pulled me to my feet, and pulled me back as he and the others backed away from the circling pair. Joker continued to let out a series of undefinable noises, all sounding like a kind of mock laugh. Croc snarled back at him, his tail swinging widely knocking over a few chairs that had been within close proximity. Croc charged again at Joker, but he was ready for him. With a grace non of us would have imagined for a killer clown, he slid out of the way kicking at Croc's back as he slide against the floor after his miss. Thomas, Drury, and Garfield leaped away from the table as Croc crashed into it knocking the table to the ground, cards and coins flying to the side.



"Against the wall!" A group of guards rushed into the room, tranquilizer guns at the ready. Croc rose up to his feet raising his hands, and sliding back to the wall, the Joker mocking his actions.



"You guys too!" A scowl broke across Thomas's face as Killer Moth, Firefly, and himself joined the others at the wall.



"You guys too." A guard standing next to us gestured at the wall.



"Duty calls." Edward sighed as he walked me to the wall. We turned around to face the guards.



"Turn around!" We turned placing our hands above us flat against the wall, our heads tilted down resting against the wall.



"Oh, look at all that won-derful security." The Joker snickered.



"Quiet!" I caught a glimpse of a guard poking Joker with the end of one of the guns to emphasis his point. I stifled a gasp as I watched the same guard small slip of paper into the Joker's pocket, and then continue on down the road. The Joker turned his head toward me with a smirk on his face, and as soon as our eyes connected he pursued his lips in a mock kiss. I shot my head down, staring at the floor.



"Did you see that?" I whispered towards Nigma. He closed his eyes and nodded.



"It's only a matter of time now." He whispered shifting on his feet.



"Hey you! You on the end!" We glanced over to see a guard storming in our direction. "Keep it quiet." He barked popping Edward in the back with the butt of his gun. Riddler groan his body doubling forward, before recovering and resuming his former position. I turned to him ready to ask him if he was alright, but he brought a finger to his lips so I turned back remaining silent. We waited in the same position as the guards went down the line escorting each inmate to his cell, while the rest of us remained on the wall. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, I felt the gloved hand of a guard guide me from the wall, and towards my cell, keeping my eyes glued to the floor as we walked.



"You're not going to say hi?" A familiar voice called from above me. My head shot up to see Owen staring down at me. I felt a wave of relief rush over me, it had only been one day but it had felt like forever.



"Hi." I smiled up at him, surprised at how shy and far away my voice sounded.



"Hi." He smiled back. He looked down a moment his hand coming up to scratch his chin where he had obviously failed to shave, and his tongue darted out to wet his lips. "So why is it I always seem to find you at the center of some terrible situation?"



"Oh you know me I'm a rebel." I said attempting to put on my "gangsta" face, evoking a laugh from Owen's sing song voice. I smiled as he threw his arm around my shoulder pulling me into an awkward hug as we walked.



"It's good to see you Carion Crow."



"You too." He opened the door to my cell, stepping out of the way and gesturing in like a gentlemen might do. I walked in, turning back to see him stepping in after me.



"What did you do before this Owen?" I said sitting on the edge of my bed, my body following as he walked and sat beside me.



"Before what?" He said as he turned grabbing the pillow from behind him, and situating himself.



"Before the Asylum." I watched as he scratched his face again, I guessed it was a nervous habit of his.



"Swat." He mumbled.



"What?" I turned leaning in.



"Swat." He said more firmly looking up, our noses touching. He smiled pushing past my nose, our lips touching briefly. "I uh, used to be on the Swat team."



"Why'd you leave?" I said recovering from the awkward moment.



"My brother." He said staring off. "He was ah, at a bank heist that went wrong. Guy started killing off hostages. We killed the guy, but not before he had taken out some of the hostages. One of them was my brother."



"Sorry." I mumbled. I mean what else was I to say? It'll be alright? I couldn't remember any of my past, but something told me I had felt like he had before.



"Well, anyway." His fingers ran up and tangled in my hair. "I've got to get going." He brought his lips to my forehead, letting them linger over the skin just a moment before rising to his feet.



"I'll see you later, girlie." He lifted his hand backing out of the cell. Closing the door and locking it back. He looked in once more, with a strange look on his face, a look that I had never seen before. My head felt like it was spinning; I lurched to my feet. Something about that look made everything feel wrong, and then I felt it. The affirmations to by feelings; the long strong arms winding their way around my torso, pulling me back into a strong embrace.



"Well, hello beautiful."





Author's Notes



Okay, so I lied. There wasn't near as much Joker in this chapter as I originally anticipated, and Owen butted his nose in. 'Said he'd been out of the spot light for far to long, and he wanted a better rule or he was contacting his manager! The things that go on in my head, right? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm already working on chapter 9, I have too much planed for my cliff hanger, so spoiler: children beware! No minors rummaging their beady little eyes over my soon to be semi-pornographic work! I hope to update/end some of my other stories soon. This note has gotten a little long, so leave me some reviews and let me know what you think, or feel free to IM me sometime. Always in the mood for some joint stories.