I know, I know, I know! I've been gone waaay too long. Life has been crazy as of late and I have had literally no time to write anything.
However...today I had a few hours spare so I managed to squeeze out this chapter :-)
Chapter Seventeen
"I just...I just wanted to apologise to you Jack. I'm so sorry for happened to your wife and son. I've been so blinded on helping others and the city that I don't stop to think who I may be hurting in the process and I get it now. You feel cheated by what happened. I cheated you. I let you down. I let myself down. I let your wife and son down. I'm truly sorry for what I've done to you" Bruce said sadly.
Jack stared blankly at him. Just as Bruce was about to walk away, Jack spoke.
"Did you lover her?" he asked. Bruce looked at him in question.
"Rachel, I mean. Did you love her?" he asked.
Bruce looked down at the floor to hide the tear that escaped his eye. He nodded.
"Yes...I loved her very much" he told the clown.
Jack nodded. "Then you do know how I feel" he replied.
Bruce looked up at him and a thought flashed through his mind and he clenched his fists in anger.
"Is that why...why you went after her? To spite me? To get back at me?" he yelled.
The shouting had caught Liam's attention and he opened his bedroom door to see Bruce advancing on the clown.
"Is that why you killer her...huh? To make me hurt like you do?" he asked shoving Jack.
"Is that why you locked her up? Why you blew her up? You couldn't live with your pain so you had to drag others down with you?" he yelled as he shoved the scarred man again.
It was at that moment that Jack's eyes turned cold and he grabbed Bruce by the throat and with all his might, slammed the man onto his back on the floor.
He squeezed Bruce's neck with one hand a snarl on his lips.
"Don't think for one second you have it all figured out bat boy. I did NOT rig those charges...you hear me? Her death was NOTHING to do with me. I wanted to hurt YOU...I wanted you to crumble and I knew that destroying this city would make that happen. Don't go accusing people of things they never did...you understand?" he growled as his hand got tighter.
Bruce struggled when his breathing started to become laboured. He tried to pull Jack's hand away from his throat but it wouldn't budge.
Liam had seen enough. He walked into Jack's bedroom and over to the two men on the floor.
"Payaso" he called trying to gain the clowns attention.
When it didn't work, he walked over to the smaller man and took hold of his hand, prying it away from Bruce's neck.
Jack then turned his predatorial gaze onto Liam. He stood and began to advance on the larger man, a small skip in his step.
Bruce coughed as he watched the movement. That's what The Joker did.
Liam stood on the spot as Jack got closer and closer to him.
"I will only tell you this once. If you lay a finger on me...I will hurt you" Liam warned.
Jack let out a giggle and suddenly lunged toward the larger man who grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him to the ground.
Jack let out a strangled moan as his sore ribs began to protest at the movement.
He was to his feet quickly however and making his way back toward Liam who was waiting for his attack.
Just as Jack was about to lunge at him again Liam's hand shot out and grabbed Jack by the throat.
"What did I say?" he growled as his hand got tighter, a furious look in his eye.
Bruce struggled to get up as he tried to stop the fight that he knew was about to take place.
"Liam...stop" Bruce wheezed out.
"Yeah Liam...stop" Jack struggled to say then let out a laugh.
He used his long leg to kick Liam in the chest, making the larger man's hand loosen enough to get away.
He began to circle Liam as though he were a hunter and Liam were his prey.
He then began to reign down blow after blow on the man's back.
Liam collapsed to one knee as the pain of the blows shot through his body.
His survival instinct quickly set in and before Jack knew what was coming, Liam had him pinned up against the wall by the throat.
He squeezed with all his might. Bruce managed to get over to the two men and tried to pull Liam's hand off of the clowns neck but it didn't work. He noticed Jack beginning to struggle to breathe, his lips going blue.
He ran to his room and picked up the small remote that controlled the men's shock devices.
With a reluctant pause, he pressed the button and watched as Liam let go of Jack instantly.
Both men crumpled to the floor as the shock ran through their bodies.
When he walked over to them, he looked down at their still bodies, taking note of their lifeless eyes. They were dead!
Jack clicking his fingers in front of his face brought Bruce out of his daydream.
He looked at the man, his mind suddenly going blank.
"Did you kill her?" he blurted out.
Jack shook his head.
"I never touched her. I had nothing to do with her death" he told Bruce sincerely.
"I was out to get you...not your loved ones, no matter how much the thought crossed my mind" he explained.
Bruce nodded as he took in the man's words.
"I guess we both have to live with the pain" Bruce said quietly.
"I don't hate you...for what its worth" Jack told him.
"I did...and a part of me...ah...still wants to; But I can't. I'm don't know what I'll do if I let the hate consume me again" he told Bruce honestly.
Both men looked at one another before Bruce nodded in understanding.
He turned and walked toward the door.
Just as he was about to step into the hall he turned to look at Jack once more.
"I really am sorry" he said as he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.
"So am I" Jack said with a whisper as he watched the door close.
To be continued...