I miss you.

Chapter three: Haunted

Batman couldn't sleep that night. Visions of the Joker's words and actions flooded his mind. That clown would never leave the bat be, even when he wasn't around. He's been out to sabotage Batman's psyche for years, and yet Batman still wasn't completely sure why he did so. Bruce's mind and memories were clouded with gruesome, awful thoughts.

He saw Jason, his body bloodied and mangled beyond repair, lying in a pile of ash and rubble while the life faded from his eyes.

He remembered Barbara Gordon's soft cries as she lay in her hospital bed, paralyzed from the waist down.

He saw little Tim, crumpling to the floor in tears, shaking and wailing after being tortured for so long. He'd almost killed the Joker then- almost ended Bruce's worst nightmare- but, like all the shitty things in the vigilante's life, he'd came crawling back again.

Bruce shook, and small sobs escaped his throat. He'd never dare to be this weak in front of anyone, but tonight, he was alone. And with the city quiet, he could only focus on his thoughts.

Joker had destroyed him, but not in the way he wanted. No, Joker wanted him to snap; to lose control completely. In a way, he'd achieved his goal; Bruce found himself thinking in a way he'd never really thought before. For once, instead of feeling vengeful and angry, he felt sad and defeated.

Over the next few months, Bruce's mental state crumbled apart even more. His mind raced with confusion. Joker had ruined him, and there was no longer anything to do about it. He realized that all this time, he'd only been fighting to distract himself from succumbing to the crying child that had lied within him all along.

For once, maybe the Joker had been right about something. Maybe he did miss him in some ways. Without him, he had lost the energy to stay angry with him. Now, he could only mope and wonder why the joker was the way he was.

Why was the clown always so intent on destroying him? What went on in that head of his?

It made Bruce feel completely helpless. He wanted to know. He had to know.

-Time skip-

Batman opened the creaking door to the Joker's cell. He had no idea why he'd come here. But Joker knew. Deep down, Batman knew he was nothing without him. At the same time, he also knew that he was nothing with him, either.

Joker sat propped up against the wall facing the door, as though he was fully expecting him to come visit at any minute.

"Batsy!! How nice to finally see you again, darling! How've you been getting along without me?" The jester threw his head back and cackled obnoxiously. Batman stood and said nothing. He watched those eyes; the wild, far-gone eyes of someone who had caused him unbelievable pain. He felt even weaker.

"Joker," he growled, attempting to mask his pain with his usual anger and vengefulness. However, Joker was far too sharp for that. He knew his worst enemy like the back of his hand. He laughed again.

"Oh, Batsy! Why the long face?"

For just a moment, Batman felt genuinely angry again. But now, strangely, when he even so much as looked at the clown, he was vividly reminded of all his gruesome crimes. Usually this would've motivated him to nearly kill him, but now, he knew it was no use. After all these years, he'd realized one thing; fighting the Joker was exactly what the green-haired maniac was after.

Batman ignored the question and his eyes narrowed in thought.

"Joker, I... I need you to tell me something."

"Reeaally? Coming to me for information?" The joker said sarcastically, sporting an overdramatic shocked expression. The taller man sighed in defeat.

"No, Joker... It's..personal, this time." The bat's voice cracked. Joker chuckled.

"Heh... even for you, this is pretty pathetic, Bat-boy."

Bruce sat on the soft chair in the corner and stared at the floor with his brow furrowed. He sat in uncomfortable silence for a few moments, and snuck a glance over at Joker, who was still seated on the floor of his cell. Joker raised an eyebrow.

"Well?" He snickered.

Bruce stopped. He met Joker's gaze with cold eyes, his lip trembling.

"Joker..." He paused for even longer this time, trying to collect his thoughts. He wrung his cape nervously in his gloved hands. He couldn't show weakness now, not in front of his greatest enemy! That would be pathetic. Shameful, he thought. And yet, in his crippled mental state, he couldn't stop a tear from escaping.

"Why... Have you done this to me...?" Batman groaned, swiftly wiping his eyes dry. "Wh-what do you want?!"

Joker recoiled in absolute shock. He'd never seen the bat cry before; scratch that, he didn't think he'd ever even seen him sad. The cold glare and gruff voice was gone, and a child sat in front of him. To see Batman like this... it was so funny.

Joker's cackling echoed throughout the room. Batman didn't even flinch. He knew it was over. All this time, he'd just pretended everything was okay. He realized he'd never be happy again, and that thought killed him. It was only then that he realized how unhappy he'd really been; the fighting was only a coping method. If Joker knew how weak he was, well, it didn't matter to him. Nothing mattered anymore.

Joker stopped laughing. He watched the bat as he sat in the chair, clutching his cloak with tears running down his face. Suddenly, Joker frowned.

"Ah, Batsy?" He snapped his fingers, trying to get his attention. Batman didn't look up.

"Why," he asked. That was all he could say. "Why?..."

Joker scrutinized the vigilante, wondering how, after all these years, he was still so dense.

"I've explained this to you so many times, Bats! I do it all for you! Every explosion, every killing; You're just as crazy as me! So why do you keep denying it?!" Joker paced the room in haste.

"I know you've had a bad day too, just like I did! I know it! The difference is, you just can't get it through your little bat-brain that we are the same!" At this, Batman growled and sprang from his chair.

"I am NOT like you, Joker!" He spat. "You're a monster! I help people! You only care about yourself!" He came close to punching the clown, but the rage subsided. It was no use anymore. Joker noticed his hesitation.

"Ha! You see, Bats! There's no point in fighting! There's no point in anything! " he gestured around the room. "Each and every goal we strive for, pointless! The whole world is just one big black JOKE! You call me a monster, and you're right. We all are! Every single one of us, hahaha! All it takes is one little push! Just look at you!"

Joker snatched the vigilante's cape from his hands and laughed.

"I mean, for Christ's sake Bats! You walk around dressed like a flying rodent! You're crazy as a coot! Hahahaha!"

Batman yanked back his cape and held it close to him like a security blanket.

"The point is, we're the same. We all are. Every personality trait, every like and dislike; they're just PROGRAMS! WE ALL RUN BY THE EXACT. SAME. AGENDA!" Joker cackled again, even louder this time.

Batman couldn't speak. For once, he wasn't distracted by bloodshed. For once, he just sat, and listened. This is what Joker had been trying to tell him this whole time. And upon realizing this, he also realized he was right.

The bat looked up to the clown with teary eyes.

"Joker...but why did that mean you had to make my life hell?...you...you're right. But why did you have to kill everyone to tell me that?"

"Because, dummy, I want you to snap! I want you to kill me, just to prove that I'm right! You had a bad day, and now you're just as crazy as me! Stop denying it!"

In reality, he'd never denied it. He just didn't want to let Joker win. But now, it didn't matter.

"Joker...you're right. I'm just as crazy as you are. All that stuff you said about being pushed over the edge by 'one bad day..' It was true." And with that being said, the vigilante left.