"… What?" Yeah, a real intelligent reply, right? Embarrassing. Jack laughed. Not cackled. Not giggle weirdly. He laughed like an ordinary man. Jack was anything but ordinary. "Oh, Sony, really? I thought it made obvious." Had he been intending for me to know? It seemed like it. Damn, I feel so stupid now. Now that I think about it, it was a little obvious…
"You're absolutely sure? This isn't some horrid joke or some kind of rare but lovely dream which I'm going to wake up from?" I was apprehensive. What if it was a joke? He was known for being the Joker after all. Damn it, this man was too unpredictable for me to even hazard a guess as to what his true motives were. "Sony… I'm being serious."

It seemed too good to be true. Why was I so adamant on not believing it? I don't even know. "… Well, what am I supposed to actually do now? Am I supposed to accept? Am I supposed to decline? Am I supposed to hug you and kiss you?" I was genuinely confused as to what to do next. Again, Jack just laughed. He was acting so human. I think, sometimes, I forgot that he was a human. Just a human. "Well, I think the first one would be preferable for me. And the latter."
"What, the hugging and kissing?"
"Precisely."
"Alrighty then." And I ran over. Or at least, I would have. If the SWAT team had not burst in roof and if we hadn't heard Batman on the floor below us, grappling up, I might have gotten a kiss. But ohhh nooo, karma seems to have it in for me. I wonder why.

In order to protect the both of us, we acted as though nothing had happened. Jack turned, the dogs that I had forgotten to mention earlier growling at the approaching 'hero'. "Ah, you made it. We're so thrilled." Jack said, taking a few steps towards him with a pipe that I hadn't noticed in his hand either.
"Where's the detonator?" Batsy spoke with his rough gravelly voice. I still didn't like it. Jack seemed to wait for a moment and then quickly signalled to the dogs. "Go get him." He commanded and the canines barked and growled, running towards the huge man. Or at least the man that looked huge in a suit. I was pretty sure he wasn't as fat as he looked in the suit.

Batman batted one of the dogs off of the edge, the damn bastard, and then got knocked over by another. Yeah, take that! The remaining two dogs bit at him and from the noises Batman made, it was painful. Looks like his suit didn't protect him very well against dog teeth. Interesting… Jack began growling and he seemed extremely angry. Why, I couldn't tell. When Jack turned to me, however, the reason was in his eyes. For causing me pain. For interrupting our moment. For causing us trouble right when we didn't need it.

Jack struck Batman with the pipe so many times, I lost count. His anger was fuelled into his attacks. I was at a complete loss as to what I should do. Batman had two dogs and a rabid man beating the shit out of him. If I tried to join, I'd get in the way. So, instead, I took out a pistol and shot some of the SWAT guys threatening to get too close a few floors down.

When I looked back, Jack began to speak. He was sitting on Batman, the pipe in one hand and a knife in the other. "All the old familiar places." He taunted and then stabbed the knife into Batman's eye, I think. It seemed like it anyway. He pushed Jack off and stood, the net that covered him now on the floor. I could see the eye pieces flashing on and off and I realized he had been using some kind of sonar radar in order to see everything. If Batman hadn't been used to it, I'm sure that he would have been really confused. He stumbled a little, trying to search for Jack, who had disappeared from my view as well.

His vision seemed to return, at least mostly, and he spotted me. Damn. He immediately grabbed me by the shirt and he threw me. Into a whole bunch of boxes. They were made of metal. I sincerely tried to get up and you know I did. I wanted to beat the living shit out of this guy! But, no, my body needed to recover from a horrible fall like that. I peered around me and found something surprising. The ice cream tub-bomb Jack had made weeks ago. Huh. So, as Jack beat Batsy around the face with a pipe with rage, I thought about what would happen afterwards.

Jack said he would be going to Arkham. I didn't like that. He didn't like that. Hey, if I died right there, I would have died without kissing Jack. I think that's what made me more adamant to save him. I couldn't live without him, as horribly sappy as that sounds. But it was then that I realized… Where were the explosions? I'd have thought that the horrible 'nobility' of the two different classes of people on the boats would have made them blow each other up. If I'm honest, I expected the civilians to kill the criminals. But, no, nothing happened. I managed to move my wrist silently. 00:00. What the? Oh… Batman, you're just too good.

I heard Jack throw the pipe down in anger and I felt irritated as well. Well, irritated was a bit of an understatement. And then, I heard a yelp of pain and immediately, I knew something had happened. I forced myself to sit up and all I heard was Jack's cackling fading, as I knew he plummeted off of the building. And then it stopped. Very suddenly. Had he died? Oh god, I couldn't deal with that. So, I forced myself to my feet and stumbled over to where I could now see Batman hoisting something up. Damn it, now I owed him for saving my hubby. It's a cruel world we live in.

Now, Jack was hanging upside down, slowly spinning this way and that, as he rambled on about 'immovable objects' and Batman just couldn't kill him. I tuned it out now that I knew Jack was alright, and I thought about the aftermath. Jack would no doubt imply that Harvey had gone mad, if he didn't tell him directly. Batsy would leave… I silently walked back to where I had been thrown and searched.

I placed the tub-bomb at the top of the stairs and then removed the detonator. As I did so, I heard Jack burst into laughter and Batman stalked off. And the footsteps of the SWAT team approached the stairs. Righto. I ran to where Jack was and dived onto the extended platform. Then I pressed the button. It exploded and the SWAT team died with it.

I heaved sighs of relief for a few minutes. When I finished, I just noticed that Jack was no longer giggling like an insane man. He was completely silent, save for the creaks of the metal that held him up. I chanced a look at him. He was staring at me. Damn it, and it was so intense I felt like I might cry. Gradually, I eased myself up into a seated position and grabbed the rope that kept Jack in place. I pulled it as hard as I could. Slowly but surely, Jack was ascending. My hands were burning from the strain but I'll be damned if I failed now. "God damn it, you'll be laying off the ice cream when we move house." Yes, I had officially decided we would move. He didn't have a say. I was fond of the warehouse, yes, but I wanted a place with a lovely view and for it to be well-furnished. I think I had had enough of living without many possessions. Jack grinned a little and then returned to his otherwise stony state.

Finally, Jack toppled over the top of the metal frame. I grabbed one of my hidden knives and cut the cord around his ankle. We didn't move for a while, just staring at the much too innocent criminals and civilians on the boats. Things would be so boring now. I knew that Harvey wouldn't last long against Batman. Especially since Harvey was delirious.

"I did tell you that I was in love with you, right?" Jack spoke suddenly, as if he had forgotten. I looked at him and nodded.
"Indeed you did." He gave a nod as well and we silent again. And then Jack broke it again.
"Do you love me?" Somehow, it felt weird that Jack was taking the initiative and talking about this. Surely I should be doing that… Ah well. I suppose it can't be helped. "Yes, I do. Very much." I responded with a soft smile. This was a bit difficult to do. My face was also aching.
"Then… why haven't you kissed me yet? I don't like being deprived of something I want." My gaze had wandered back to the boats but now it snapped back to Jack. His bloody intense eyes were just staring into me, boring a hole into me, boring a hole in my heart. The heart that belonged to him now, the selfish devil. "Oh, I apologise. I suppose I had gotten a bit carried away, what with the explosions, the fistfights, and let's not forget the fal-." I was cut off by his lips on mine.

He tasted divine. I think that's all I can say on the matter. I didn't even register the thick grease paint on his face. It didn't obscure his lips from mine so it wasn't a problem. Although, I'm pretty sure I'd have his makeup on my face by now. His mouth was moist and sour, a very tangy taste that provided a nice contrast to my ice cream. I wondered vaguely what he had eaten recently to give him that taste. Unless that was him naturally. In which case, I loved it anyway. I think it's needless to say, the kiss got more heated. Pent up emotions are never a good thing but in this case, I think I can honestly say, God save emotions.

"Told you I wouldn't let them take you to Arkham." I said smugly as we drove. We had hardly spoken since the kiss because words were unnecessary. We loved each other and that was that. Jack and I had moved almost all of the stuff to our new home and now, we just had to move ourselves. I glanced back through the rear window at the retreating warehouse. I would miss it. I think, if we had to hide somewhere else again, we'd return. I returned my gaze to the front of the car when our old home disappeared from view. I was sitting in the back of the car, no surprises there, and Jack was driving. Without any makeup on. He was 'normal'. Well, I say without any makeup on, he was using some of the stuff I used for my eyes and now used for my mouth. I don't even know why I didn't suggest it before. I'll say now that he looked mighty fine. The house was on the other side of Gotham. On the sea front, I might add. And, I'll just tell you now, I love the sea side. Love it.

"Yeah, well, I promised I wouldn't let you go back. Look who's smug now." Jack winked at me in the mirror and I smirked. I think we would continue being villains. But, now that I think about it, I valued Jack's life above my own. Now, don't get me wrong, Jack was a professional. But the only reason he was really still alive, was because people knew that he wanted to die. Now that I was here… Was that going to change? I shook it out of my head. Emily would be proud of me, I think. When I killed the Mayor, I'd like to think I would stop being a villain. But would Jack even let me? Would he want to settle down too? I had to. For Emily. For her.

"Looking forward to your new home?" Jack asked, snapping me out of my rather depressing thoughts. I grinned.
"Oh yeah. I can't wait." I replied, albeit a little childishly. He just giggled a little. The conversation stopped there. Means of communication were as follows: Winks, grins, smirks, eye contact, kisses, sly touches and when Jack pulled over the car to get his hands on me when I provoked him too many times. Life was good.

The house was… breath-taking. It wasn't huge or anything. That would draw attention. But it was big enough for some class or style or whatever. It was decided that we would go shopping later for more furniture, food (mostly ice cream) and stuff like that. Our presence was not forgotten in Gotham City, but it was ignored for such a period of time that they no longer remembered what we actually looked like. Well, not without our makeup on anyway. Who could forget The Joker and The Actor with their makeup and masks on? No one. But no one had actually seen Jack without his war paint. And people had forgotten what I had looked like without the mask. So, shopping wouldn't be a problem. We'd have to get used to not stealing things though. But, with the right guidance, we'll be alright. I turned to Jack. "Who fitted all of the furniture?" I asked curiously. He turned to me.
"I have connections." He said simply with an insanely sexy smirk. Damn that man.

I think, it's needless to say, that for the first few nights, sleep only came in a few hours at a time. You work it out. I'll admit that I have not changed all that much since the start of the story, but come on, I fell in love with a homicidal maniac who is now not so maniacal. Or homicidal. Plus, I was even thinking of settling down. For Emily. But don't worry. Rest assured, I will not give up on ending the Mayor. He would be final message to the City. No one is safe. And no one truly is. It's all about the part you choose to play. I'm Solace. Or The Actor. Or Sony. And that, my friends, was my story.

IT'S DONE! OH MY GOD! DUN DUN DUUNNNN! Hope you guys liked that! I found that so enjoyable to write! Thank you to all of you who reviewed and favourite and stuff. You guys are simply awesome. I love you all and you can all have a nommy cookie :3 CHEERS FOLKS! ADIOS!

Luna