Skream (A Joker story [Sequel to Hush])

6: Recollection

After telling Gordon that I had met someone new, he insisted I take a week off so I can spend time with him. It was a weird request, but he seemed awfully enthusiastic that I had gotten back into my old life. It confused me but I left the GCPD without any complaints on having time off. If I wasn't spending time with Jack, I'd be spending time with Arsen.

When I got home I found Rose on the couch with a phone in her hands, feet propped up on the table in front of her and the phone cord twirling in between her slim fingers. 

"Where is my son?" I questioned, she straightened up in shock, placing the phone down. Yes, she wasn't supposed to be slacking on the job, but I didn't want to be a jerk and yell at her. It must suck having to clean someone's house and watch their baby as well.

She smiled politely, her cat like eyes flashing to the other side of the room where Arsen lay in his crib, playing with a blanket. As soon as I walked over, his eyes landed on me, a smile reaching his chubby face. He let out a small, soft cry. I smiled widely and picked him up.

"You got mail." Rose spoke, quickly running over and retrieving it for me, seeming to make up for her behavior when I got home. She placed a vase filled with beautiful red roses and daisies on the table in front of me, I frowned.

"Did you forget to get the mail or. . .?" I was kind of confused at this point.

"Oh, no! This IS the mail!" she spoke, flushed, laughing softly. "A man named Jack dropped them off. He told me he wanted to see you tonight and he was going to call you."

I blushed, laughing shyly. "Oh, really?"

She teasingly nudged me, making sure not to nudge the arm that was supporting Arsen. "You ready to start dating again?"

"Well I never knew Arsen's father, so of course. . . ." I sighed. "You are so lucky you have your memories. . . . So lucky you aren't lost. I'm lost. I wish I knew who my husband was, I wish I knew who my family is, I wish I felt like I fit in! My work is not the place for me. Sometimes I cry because I feel so. . . . Empty. . .So naive." I looked down at my feet, when I looked up I saw a flash of guilt over Rose's face. And, by guilt, I meant the look of "I'm sorry" as if she had wronged me somehow.

"You'll be okay." she whispered softly, her eyes wide and sad. I got a flash of some images in my mind, I set Arsen down quickly before collapsing on the floor. She caught me, holding me steadily in her arms as I cried out, holding my face. 

I was getting images of a girl, a blonde girl with a high, melodic voice laughing, her light eyes dancing around as if she was so fascinated by her surroundings as she told an inaudible story, she looked as if she imagined all the images around her. She was a very beautiful girl.

The next image that hit me included the same girl, but this time, she was watching me with wide eyes until she was told something. Then, she smirked, and I could hear our conversation.

"You're his girl." she said to me, the scene changed once more and it was the same blonde girl fighting with a girl who looked awfully like Harley Quinn, Joker's girl. The blonde girl from the other visions seemed to be defending me, screaming at look-alike Harley with angry eyes.

A friend?

A friend from before the accident?

I hadn't seen her recently. Who was she?

I quickly got out of Rose's arms and went up to my laptop, trying to find who this girl was, but I couldn't find her. I gave up, since it was so hard to find someone with just description. I had a sudden urge to call Jack and ask. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

I called him, dialing with shaking fingers. He picked up after two rings. "Hey!" he spoke enthusiastically.

"Do you know a blonde girl? I just remembered a blonde girl, she had these big eyes and a very. . . . Interesting voice, kind of melodic, I. . . . Who was she? If you did know her, of course." I was shaking, confused.

Without missing a beat, he gave me a response. "Jade."

"Jade?" I questioned, confused.

He was silent for a moment, sighing reluctantly. "You can not tell your work about this girl."

"Why not?" I was confused.

"Well, you see. . . . She was in a certain. . . . Crime and got hurt and. . . Oh, hell, you deserve to know. Blaise, that girl had a nickname. You called her Pitch. She was your best friend. She died protecting you."

I froze. "That girl is dead?"

For some reason, the death of this mystery girl shook my being with grief. The things I saw of her, she was so lively, so innocent, so carefree. She seemed to have known me so well. . . . 

I started to cry. "She could have helped me remember. . . ."

"Look, we can talk more about this tonight, okay? Get ready, I'll pick you up in an hour."

We and hung up after a brief goodbye. 

Who was Jack, and why was he acting like that?

Why did Pitch die?

Who was she really?