Unsuspecting Hero (Batjokes)

Chapter 16

(This chapter contains a lot of mentions of blood, bullet wounds and wound probing)

The first thing Alfred forced Joker to do, was get back to Wayne Tower and sleep. Joker got to the tower okay, with Alfred and Barbara at his side. But the sleep? That was harder. He was an insomniac as it is, but knowing everyone he cared about was under the wrath of Harvey, sleep felt impossible.

Despite the warm milk Alfred had made him, and the sleeping pills he had placed next to the glass, Joker tossed and turned under the sheets with frustration. He couldn't sleep alone, not right now. So he forced himself out of bed, making his way to a familiar room that he often found himself in during his earlier days with the Wayne family.

He climbed into the small child's bed easily, wrapping an arm around Damien and pulling him closer. Damien's eyes blinked open slowly, half asleep as he looked up at Joker. "Mmh...Hi, Jack"

"Hey, Kid..." Joker's voice was soft, running light fingers through the black locks that covered the child's head. "Go back to sleep, it's okay..."

"Okay...night night" Damien hummed, eyes closing on their own due to how tired he was. "Night, kid" "...love you" His small voice whispered, barely conscious as the slumber took over his little mind. Joker's heart thumped in his chest, cheeks blazing hot at those two words. 

All he knew was that he found it easier to fall asleep afterwards.

He ended up waking up in the small race car bed alone, eyes blinking open sluggishly. As he recalled the memories of last night, all he wanted to do was go back to the darkness that was slumber, but he couldn't. Not when knowing he had to save them.

He forced himself to sit up, the suit that he had slept in crumpled and messy, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He felt more than awful, and wasn't in the mood to deflect that as he made his way to the kitchen. 

The house felt so quiet. So pitifully quiet. It made his chest burn with guilt, with fear. He couldn't help but wonder what was happening to them, right now. Had Harvey figured out how to take off Batsy's cowl? Was he beating Dick and Tim for answers, forcing Riddler and Harley under the same treatment he went through? All the possibilities made him feel sick.

"Master Jack" Alfred greeted as Joker stepped into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes to force the sluggishness away, but it hardly did much. "Hey, Alfie..." 

"I didn't feel it was right to wake you, so I let you sleep in. I'm afraid you missed breakfast, but I'm serving up some sandwiches for lunch if you fancy one?" The man offered with a hint of a smile, but Joker could tell it wasn't an honest one. It made his heart twist, as he sat down at the table just opposite the butler. "No thanks" He spoke, finger sliding against the counter lazily. "Do you..." Joker began, biting his lip as he forced out the question. "Are you angry?"

"With you? Heavens no, Jack" Alfred quickly clarified, turning to Joker with an honest look. Though, Joker didn't like the pity underlined in that smile. "But with Harvey Dent? I could honestly shoot him myself for all the pain he has caused on you alone. But bringing Bruce and the young masters into it, along with your friends? Don't tell Master Bruce I said this, he would never forgive me, but I wouldn't mind watching him go through that torture himself"

Joker hummed, soft and acknowledging. "Thanks, Alfie. That...that helps. A lot"

"Of course. Now, I hate to change the topic, but Miss Gordon needs you in the Batcave when you are ready" Alfred spoke, turning back to the food he was preparing. "Okay. I'll go down in a little while"

"Should I prepare you a cup of tea, sir? With extra sugar, just how you like it"

"You read my mind, Al"