In the morning, Duela is found sitting in the middle of her bed, criss crossed, holding her Joker card in her hands. She's in a very deep and vulnerable looking moment.
Carrie steps into the door frame of the room. She smiles softly and gently knocks on the door frame.
When Duela looks up, she whipes her tears which there weren't really alot of. "Sorry... Hi." Duela says, trying to mask her sorrow.
Once Carrie sees this, her expression immediately turns to concern and empathy. She walks up to the bed and sits next to Duela, putting her hand on Duelas back.
Carrie looks at the card...
"Why do you hold onto this?" Carrie asks softly...
Duela looks at her card and laughs to relieve the sadness. "It was a birthday gift from the Joker when he used to pose as my father figure in Arkam when I was 8." Said with subtle happy grin as the memories come back. You could hear the joy in her voice when she explains this.
This makes Carrie smile with Duela... But when Duelas smile fades, Carries does too...
"Yeah, but it was good while it lasted..." Keeping an eye on her card in her hand as she holds it up, making eye contact with Carrie time to time. "The only way we could communicate was with a DOOR in the way. And little ol me was too short to see him in the window at the top of the door." Duela snickers, giggling a little, still to relieve her emotions. "Then when they found an orphanage who would take me as "The Jokers Daughter" at the time... Joker had also escaped Arkham... I'm guessing to find me... And eventually I've escaped the orphanage and went to look for him." Duela gets more serious. "By the time I found him, he was splattered all over the sidewalk... I look up, and wanna know who was standing on top the building he fell from?" She pauses... "Batman... He KILLED my father..." She snickers. "Who knew the man with a no killing rule would kill my father before I could even meet him properly... I guess that only means one thing... Everyone breaks rules." She stays there with a serious and angered expression.
Carrie is shocked on how much this has effected Duela. She hugs her... "I'm so sorry... But Joker was a problem. He had what was coming..."
Duela flips out to this statement. She rips out of Carries arms and gets off the bed. She stares at Carrie in disbelief and anger. "Are you being serious right now? My father figure DIED to YOUR father figure and ALL you're gonna say is that "He deserved it"? And, you know what? Batman deserved that same exact fate he but my dad through. And you know what, Carrie!? I DON'T CARE! BATMAN WAS THE PROBLEM! I JUST WANTED TO SEE MY DAD!" By the end of Duelas statement, her voice quickly fades off and goes weaker as she starts to break down crying. Carries heart breaks to see Duela in this state. She wishes she could take back her opinion about Joker and have never said it at all. She gets up and forces Duela into a hug as Duela tries to fight it off but fails... Now Carries trying to keep herself from crying as she strokes Duelas hair as she falls to the floor, crying in Carries arms. "It's okay... I'm sorry... It's okay..." Carrie speaks gently, now kneeling down with Duela, still hugging her and stroking her hair as she cries... Carrie movies her head to try and see Duelas face. "I love you, you know that?" She talks gently... It takes a moment for Duela to get ahold of herself to answer, but when she does, she replies with an, "I love you too..."
Carrie smiles warmly at this... "I'm sorry for your pain..." She kisses Duelas head then rocks her back and forth...
Once Duela feels better, she sits up, gently pulling out of the hug. Her eyes are kinda red from crying, but she smiles a little through it at the sight of Carrie sticking around... It means so much to her that she wasn't abandoned this time.
Carrie smiles back at Duela and whipes the tears of Duelas face gently with her thumbs. Then she gently holds Duelas face and kisses her softly on the lips before pulling away.
"Thank you." Duela says briefly before her voice could give out again.
"You're welcome." Carrie smiles. "You are welcome here, you are welcomed in my arms, you are welcome into my life, and you are welcomed into my heart." Carrie says, putting her hand on her heart, smiling warmly.
Duela pauses, but her smile wins her over as she chuckles a bit. "Yeah, I guess you really do know how to cheer me up, huh, Little Bird?"
Carrie looks embarrassed. "Really? Cause I just guessed." She gives an embarrassed smile.
She puts her hand on Carries shoulder. "You're doing just fine, Little Bird... You're growing your wings."
And one last time, they hug it out.
