Black Eyes

Chapter 1: I'm Sorry For Your Loss

Hello everyone and welcome to Black Eyes! I'm very excited to share this story with those who have the same love for the Joker as I do! Read the first few chapters and give it a chance, the Joker won't make his appearance until the third chapter. I'm trying to give this story as much of a plot as possible without making it boring. Black Eyes will not strictly go by the movie's story line but I am going to try to stick close to it. Imagine whichever Joker your preference is, though I did have Heath Ledger's in mind when I wrote this so the plot is loosely based off of The Dark Knight. Also, I ask from you guys that if you see any plot holes or grammar issues to politely let me know, I like to be efficient (also, none of the cover photos belong to me). Now on to the story! Enjoy.

XoXo

Chapter One: Sorry for Your Loss

Gotham was just as cold and depressing as I thought it would be. This city was nothing like the beautiful countryside I grew up in. There were hardly any trees, the mountainous skyscrapers loomed over you like the judging God above, and the people who lurked on the streets resembled zombies with their black jackets and sagging eyes. No, this was going to be nothing like home. I sharply inhaled and glared out the window; my dad is going to be shocked to see me.

The cabby skeptically eyed me in the rear view mirror as we pulled up to the Wayne manor. I handed him his cash and took my things with me as I bolted from the smelly car. The estate wasn't so bad. It wasn't in the city so at least it was quiet enough for me to do my studying in peace. Honestly, Gotham was the last place I wanted to go for school. I had been living with my aunt who raised me in Massachusetts, but one night she never came home. I was greeted by a police officer at the door saying that my Aunt Jess was dead. She was involved in a hit and run car accident. Things like that never happened in our town and the one time it did, it was my aunt who got the short end of the stick. Best part was that I was going to school for Criminal Psychology. How ironic.

After my aunt's passing, I found the perfect reason for wanting to study what I do. Why would someone hit a woman with their car and leave her to die?

My aunt would always tell me how much she liked my dad, but I could see the truth behind her eyes. I always knew she was trying to spare me and make sure I grew up not having a grudge against my father. I get it, its no fun hanging onto something you had no control over, but the truth remained the same: he didn't want me. I don't blame him either. He was filthy rich and owned his own company- he had no time to raise a child that he never planned for. So my aunt took me in since my mother had died shortly after giving birth to me.

Lucky for my dad he skipped having to raise my terrible toddler self all the way through my rebellious middle school age and right on past my partying high school phase. I might even still be in that one... I guess we were alike in that regard. I heard he threw huge parties, though I had a feeling they weren't like the ones I enjoyed. The front door suddenly clicked open and there stood a man who obviously was a butler. I realised I probably looked like a creep standing outside of someone's house so I picked up my things and made my way up the steps. Should I have called? I began to second guess the way I wanted to approach this: 'Oh hey there Bruce Wayne! Just wanted to tell you that I'm your child you abandoned and I've come to ask if I can live with you now...'

"Can I help you?" The butler asked me curiously as I dropped my bags to the porch.

"Yes, actually... uh, my name is Iris. I'm here to speak with Bruce Wayne. I'm his child he left with Jessica Lane when I was born 24 years ago." Well I was always very blunt... I never understood the reasoning behind beating around the bush anyway. The butler stared at me agape and then managed to compose himself, allowing me inside.

"Master Wayne always suspected you'd come. My, have you grown." The butler placed the tray he was holding on a nearby marble table as he spoke. I observed the extraordinary manor and it indeed deserved the title. It was quite the manor all right.

"You must be Alfred. Aunt Jess always spoke highly of you."

"Ah and how is Miss. Lane? Not getting into to much trouble I hope? She always loved trouble." Alfred smiled a reminiscent smile and led me to a nearby room which had the fireplace already lit. I rushed to it and soaked up its warmth.

His words sunk in deeper then I anticipated. "She was the definition of trouble. Aunt Jess and I traveled a lot together, despite me having so many absences in school. Her thing was picking fights with people who looked at me the wrong way." I chuckled lightly and smiled to myself. I could see Alfred looking at me questionably out of the corner of my eye. "She was a young soul who was trapped in an older body. Aunt Jess is... she's passed on." Alfred paused to look at me, coming to an understanding, probably of why I had been talking about my aunt in past tense.

"Oh, I see."

"It was, um... a car hit her and left her to die." I choked it out. Crying was a weak thing to do. I needed to be strong.

"I'm so terribly sorry, Miss. Wayne. I had no idea. When is the funeral?"

"Already was, actually- this past Tuesday. Bruce Wayne never showed." I spat out, shaking my head in bitterness. There was a silence that followed. Saying the word "dad" was much too foreign. He was never my father and didn't deserve the title.

"I'm not sure how we ended up not finding out about this, but I'm sure if your father knew-"

"He's not my father." I snapped, turning to face Alfred. He looked slightly taken aback at my outburst, but not surprised at my remark. "I'm sorry. Forgive me for being so rude. I presumed you would've gotten word from Aunt Jess' brother. He was the one who organised her funeral, though he was never a fan of Bruce Wayne, so it was probably intentional."

"Well, we know now, don't we?" Alfred reassuringly brought over a tray of tea. My eyes lit up with excitement. Tea was the perfect solution to such a cold day. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you here? It sounds to me like this is the last place you'd want to venture to."

I picked up the tea cup and traced the intricate edges with my finger. "Well, Aunt Jess didn't leave me with anything- not that she had anything to give in the first place, but I have no where to go. Her brother did not get along with Jess or I, plus he's a bit of a twat." I shrugged sadly. "I was hoping Bruce would be able to help me, seeing as he is the only family I've got, really. I've no desire to stay here but... he's my only hope right now. As you know, Jess was the outcast of her family, particularly because she sided with my mother when she announced she was pregnant with me. I have no one because no one will take me in." I whispered the last bit, mostly to myself as a reminder that it was only me now in this world.

"Would you like me to show you to your room?"

I glanced up at him, startled. "My room?"

"Well of course. There are plenty of guest rooms in the manor. I know Mr. Wayne well enough in that he would not turn you away. I'm sure he will want to have you here." I followed Alfred out the door as I rolled my eyes. "Did you know Master Wayne had kept your baby room untouched after you left? He couldn't bear to go near it, actually. Unfortunately, the original manor burned down not to long ago therefore destroying everything."

"I had a baby room here? Was... he expecting to keep me?" My whole body froze for a second, considering the thought that my dad had maybe this whole time meant to raise me.

"I don't think he would've gone through all of that work setting up an infant room for nothing, do you?"

"You don't happen to know anything, do you Alfred?" I continued to follow him through the manor.

"Who me? No, no. I'm just the butler." He smiled mysteriously at me. "And if I did know, it wouldn't be my place to say, now would it?"

I smirked at him. "I suppose not."

He stood there for a moment, looking at me deeply before composing himself. He followed up with an awkward clearing of the throat while opening the door to what I presumed to be my room. "Sorry, I couldn't help but notice that same mischievous look Master Wayne would give me as a child. Apparently it runs in the family."

There was no escaping the fact that I indeed was a Wayne.