"What are you doing here?" Adriana asked the Joker.
She had returned home to Wayne Manor after spending hours in the city to find him in the kitchen, drinking a root beer from a glass bottle.
"I was invited," he replied, looking down at her as he took another gulp. "To play pool."
"So this is what you're doing now?" Adriana said. "Just...still pretending to be Bruce's friend?"
"I am his friend," the Joker said to her and gave her a small smile.
"No," Adriana said. "You told me you think he's a drug addict. That's talking behind his back. Friends don't do that-"
"Is that what you think I'm doing?" the Joker asked.
"Aren't you?" Adriana asked.
"Hello, sweetheart," Bruce said and came into the kitchen. "Everything alright?"
Bruce could sense the tension. Adriana seemed irritated and the Joker seemed calm as he continued to drink his cold beverage.
"I was just leaving," the Joker said.
"Alright," Bruce said.
"Goodnight to you both," the Joker said and took his drink with him.
"That was abrupt," Bruce said and went to get a bottle of water. "Thought we'd play again. Winning three times in a row was my goal."
"Mm," Adriana said and went over to the sink and began to wash the dishes.
"Hey," Bruce said and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Adriana paused for a moment and took a deep breath in. She felt calmer.
"You smell good," she said to Bruce.
"So do you," he said and kissed the side of her neck. "Tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing just...Jack annoys me sometimes," Adriana said.
"How so?" Bruce said. "Did you ask him to leave?"
"No," Adriana said.
"What happened?" Bruce asked.
Adriana dropped the cup she was holding, causing a bit of the water to splash.
"I went to his apartment earlier and he just...said some things that really upset me," Adriana said. "And now he's..."
"What did he say?" Bruce asked.
Adriana shook her head and turned around.
"He was criticizing us," Adriana said. "Me for my vigilantism and saving these...maniacal drug users, and you...well...I know he's your friend but..he accuses you of being a junkie. He talks about you behind your back."
Bruce began to laugh, throwing Adriana off guard.
"If it's one thing I've learned about Jack," Bruce said. "Is that talking behind anyone's back is not an activity he would partake in."
"So.." Adriana said. "What? He's asked you about it?"
"More like," Bruce said. "Accuses? Assumes?"
"What?" Adriana asked.
"Well, I invited him to visit my brewery to taste some of the beers tonight before we came back here," Bruce said. "And he asked if I should be drinking while I've been popping pills."
Adriana raised her eyebrows.
"He's very forthcoming," Bruce said. "Not afraid to say anything to anyone's face. I'm sure you know that though."
"Oh..." Adriana said and crossed her arms. "So...he just said that to you...what did you say back?"
"I told him that he's being ridiculous," Bruce told her. "I was prescribed Vicodin for less than a week and took one leftover pill some time after and now you both believe I'm an addict of some kind."
Adriana looked down for a second.
"I'm sorry.." Adriana said. "This is my fault. I should have just kept my mouth shut."
"It's alright," Bruce told her and touched her cheek.
"So....now what?" Adriana asked.
"Not sure," Bruce said. "I'm not sure there's anything you or I could say to him to convince him that I'm not 'popping pills'. In time he'll forget about this nonsense. We all will and put it behind us."
"I'm sorry," Adriana apologized again.
Bruce kissed her softly. "I do agree with him on one thing though," Bruce said.
"You both want me to stop what I'm doing but you know...I can't do that," Adriana said. "Those people need my help and it's only a matter of time before the find a cure or antidote or something for this drug...they won't all keep dying-"
"Okay," Bruce said.
"Oh...okay?" Adriana said, seeing that Bruce has seemed to give up very easily.
"Leave that," Bruce said, indicating the dishes. "Cleaning service will be here at 6 a.m."
"Okay," Adriana said and wiped her soapy hands on her pants.
"Let's go to bed."
"I think they've been discussing surgeries on the patients," Adriana said. "While they're sedated..."
Adriana spoke to Bruce about all of the possibilities of science and medicine as they made their way to their bedroom. Once they were inside, Bruce began to kiss her madly.
Adriana pulled out of the kiss laughing.
"Haha wow, where did this come from?" she laughed but he pulled her back in.
It was abrupt and he didn't let her shy away from him. She let him take her to the bed, his lips never separating from contact with her body for more than second. It was a whirlwind of passion as they made love.
"That was nice," Adriana said as they rested together afterwards.
"Mmm," Bruce hummed on the back of her shoulder.
Adriana closed her eyes and as soon as she did, she saw the letter again. The one threatening her. It was burned into her mind. She couldn't tell Bruce about it. But she wondered if she should be afraid. Her eyes opened again.
"Do you think..." Adriana said. "I'm foolish?"
"You are...." Bruce whispered into her ear. "An intelligent and beautiful woman. With the prettiest toes I have ever had the pleasure of-"
"Bruce," Adriana laughed. "I'm serious."
He massaged her hip.
"This is about the drug," he said. "The destruction of lives in the city."
She nodded as his arm slid over hers.
"I think it is important to pick our battles wisely," he said. "I had to learn it a long time ago. Unfortunately, we cannot save everyone."
She closed her eyes and took a breath.
"We do what we can but we are human," he went on. "We have to allocate our time and energy in the best way we can."
They were quiet for a while.
"Okay," Adriana said. Bruce could hear the concession in her tone.
"Okay?" he said.
She nodded.
"I'll...stop," she said. "I'll stop trying to save them."
"We will find another way," he said and kissed her shoulder.
