Jack and Miss Parker

Chapter 21

Mary yawned and stretched as she sat up in her bed. Her heart started to thump with anticipation as she heard little Graces laughter down stairs. She threw the covers off of her and quickly dresses. Mary smiled as she bounced down the stairs. Joker sat at the breakfast table as he held Grace as she colored. He smiled as he looked up to her, "Look, doesn't she look pretty as a picture." Mary's smile eased as his words blended in to another unknown voice from a flashback. Mary held up her hand as though she was trying to block the flashes of a camera bulb. As she did, the imagine of her husband and another dark haired man flashed back and forth. 

As Joker spoke, his words felt and sounded like slow motion. Mary's eyes rolled back into her head as she fell to the floor. Joker sprang up and placed Grace down, "Magda! Frost! Salena!" 

Magda grabbed her chest at the sight of Mary convulsing on the floor. She ran over and scooped up a crying little Grace. Salena rushed in to hold Mary's head still. 

Mary's chest heaved as she looked at Grace as she uncotrolably jerked. Joker turned to Magda, "Get her outa here!" 

As Magda started to rush Grace out Salena noticed Mary's breathing became more intense as her eyes followed her baby. Salena stroked her hair, "Mary listen to me. She's safe, we are not taking her anywhere, ok? She in the next room." 

Mary's head thrashed violently side to side as her lips started to turn blue. Joker could here Frost on his phone with Dr. Kent as he described what was going on. Joker had grabbed Mary's hand, "Breathe Mary... Breathe.. Come on breathe for Grace." He noticed a tear going down the side of her hair line. Mary's jerking eased and her color stared to return. He smiled as he saw Mary's chest heaved as she took a deep breath. "Good girl." Mary laid on the floor heaving as she took in air. Her eyes started to drift close due to exsaustion. The trio didn't move her until Dr. Kent arrived. Joker scooped her up and placed her in her bed. 

After the examination, Dr. Kent gave his prognosis. "Her vitals are stable, with her gaining her memory back, it's a possibility she could suffer more of these." 

Joker was silent as he looked at his sleeping wife, "Could she die from this?" 

Dr. Kent sighed, "it's always possible." 

Joker continued to watch his sleeping wife, "And the baby?"

Dr. Kent shrugged his shoulders at a loss, "She could deliver, but most medications cause births defects; she could also still miscarry from this seizure if it was as severe as you described."

Joker continued to look away. "Thank you doctor." Joker listened as Dr. Kent took his leave. He gently leaned down as he sat on Mary's side of the bed as he stroked her hair, "You'll get better.. Daddy's not going to let anything happen to you." Mary didn't even stir, she was knocked out by day's events. Joker looked at the clock and realized it was past nine, Grace was already in bed. He strolled down the main stair case; the house was dark and silent. He sat in the parlor and he sipped on a bottle of brandy.

 His eyes drifted closed until he heard a familiar voice, "J? Is that you?" 

Jokers eyes shot open when he heard it; his eyes eagerly scanned the room. "Oswald?" 

A figure of Oswald peaked from around the parlor entryway as he smiled, "Hello J." He chucked as he strolled into the room. 

Joker sat slumped in his chair as his chest heaved with anger, "You fucking prick.." 

Oswald cocked an eyebrow, "Now now.. Is that anyway to talk to a dead old friend."

Joker smirked, "So you are dead? I was hoping for the pleasure to kill you." 

Oswald crossed his arms, "Now, why would you want and go do a thing like that?" 

Joker leaned towards the apparition, "You knew where she was and didn't tell me. Talk about major cock block." He leaned back into his seat.

Oswald chuckled, "But you had Harley for that, remember?" Joker rolled his eyes as he curled his lip. Oswald shook his head, "Tttisk Tttisk. Always thinking of yourself. Did you ever think that with me telling you where she was, that she would never talk to me again? That she would hide from us both? You've seen how brilliant she is, we would have never seen or heard from her again." Joker took another sip of brandy. Oswald charged at his seat and placed his hands on both sides, "Your going to listen to me! If you want to save her you can, but she will endure all of her memories at once. This will be worst than dying."

 Joker looked at him with a blank face. Oswald leaned away as he stood up and slicked back his hair. "How do I do that?"

Oswald smiled, "Do what you do best, improvise." 

"What if she has another seizure? What if it kills her or the baby?" 

Oswald shook his head, "If you don't, she's good as dead. Not physically, but nothing will be left but a hollow shell." Joker looked down as Oswald continued, "She's in her own personal Hell right now." Joker covered his ears as Oswsld sneared, "How did it feel when she looked at you and didn't recognize you?" 

Jokers angry face shot up to meet his, "I wanted to die." 

Oswald smirked as a tear rolled down his face, "Now imagine that times a hundred. That's what she's going through."

 Joker held his head down as he rocked back and forth, "Get out! Get out of my fucking head!" When he looked back up Oswald was gone. He whispered to himself , "What have I done? What have I done?"