AN: I am so sorry everyone. I said I'd be gone only a couple of weeks and then I drop off the map for months, I am so sorry about that. My only excuse is that Real Life mugged me and has yet to release me from its unyielding grip.

So, you may have noticed the little complete symbol right up there in the corner... yep, I'm done with this story. I've got some other storylines for this story, and I'll probably put them out as oneshots eventually, but I just felt this was a good place to end the story before I went too far and ruined it with my split concentration.

I hope everyone enjoys!

Disclaimer: So not mine.

One of the Joker's favorite pastimes was setting plans into motion and watching as the peices fell right where he wanted them to. Like dominos, one event falling into another and each event paving the way for the next until the pattern completed itself.

And this was exactly what he was doing now.

His Brucey wanted to be able to go out on the town with him, the Joker, not with the fictional Jack Napier; and the Clown Prince of Gotham was going to make sure his man got exactly what he wanted.

His first move: Leaking to the press about Two-Face and Riddler working for Wane Corp.

"There is new controversy surrounding Wayne Corp tonight as it is discovered that two of the most feared Rouges, who were recently thought to be safely locked up in Arkham Asylum, have been added to its Board of Directors. More tonight at ten."

His next move: Taking away everyone's safety net.

"We have breaking news on the Arkham Asylum controversy: it is confirmed that the hundred year old Asylum has been sold to a private firm and is being shut down. We repeat: Arkham Asylum is being shut down."

And then all that was left to do was sit back and watch as the people, in their consistently mindless way, incorporated this new reality into their daily lives.

"The protested release of all inmates from Arkham has gone through. I repeat, all the Rouges have been released. God help us all."

JOKERJOKERJOKERJOKERJOKER

Joker couldn't very well leave the other Rouges to their own devises, of course, that would just be foolhardy. No, he set them all to work; he would turn them all into productive citizens even if it, or he, killed them.

The plant was the easiest of the lot to convince; but then again, she was also the most predictable.

"You want me to do WHAT?!"

"Head the Wayne Corp. expedition to Mars to asses its Terraforming potential. Just think of it: an entire unsullied World ripe for the introduction of your... babies. And not a single meddlesome human anywhere in sight to stop you."

"Where do I sign."

Harley, though, she had been a bit more difcult.

"B-b-but I wanna stay with yooouuuu!"

"Now, dear, don't be like that. You don't want Miss Green-Genes over there to get lonely all the way on another planet, now do you? No, you'll accompany her and the two of you will be quite happy planting maneating plant seeds across an endless desert."

"Can I at least meet your mystery man before I go?"

"Sure thing, he's waiting for us right now. I did promise to introduce you two, remember?"

"Yay! Thank you, Mr. J, you're the best!"

Most of the others went to their new lives willingly, if resentfully- and in some instances simply left Gotham altogether to avoid the clown and his plans- but a few chose to be stubborn and so Joker was forced to... reason with them.

"Now listen to me you miserable cretins! You will do as I say or you will wish I'd left you to rot in those plush padded cells!"

It took more time than he liked- three whole weeks, it was an eternity!- but eventually the Joker's plan played out and Gotham had calmed from its initial panic and had accepted the former inmates of Arkham into their midst.

And now it was time for the Big Revel!

The press milled around outside of Wayne Corp., waiting for some big announcement from the newest power dou of Gotham: Bruce Wayne and his lover and business partner Jack Napier.

Just inside the doors of Wayne Corp., Joker let Bruce adjust his wig- and boy was he glad he would no longer need the stupid thing- and straighten his collar and then it was time.

"You ready, Brucey-babe?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Then let's do this!"

Flinging the doors wide the pair made their way to the podium set up for this and addressed the gathered crowd of microphone holders and spectators.

Joker spoke first.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and members of the press who don't count as either," everyone laughed at that, having grown used to Jack Napier's quirky sense of humor from his numerous interviews over recent weeks.

"My partner and I have an announcement to make." With that, Joker reached up and tore off the latex mask- as wiping off make-up wouldn't have been dramatic enough- and pulled off his perfectly coiffed wig.

The crowd gasped at the reveal, and money discreetly changed hands in a few instances, but otherwise their was no great negative reaction; proving that the Joker's plan to prepare the public had worked- and meaning that Batman now owed him as he'd lost their bet on this score.

"Well, that's all folks!" Joker flippantly dismissed the crowd and then pulled Bruce into a searing kiss, one that every camera attempted to capture.