His Princess

xiii

Run

RUN!

As fast as you can!

They can't catch you when the Joker's your man.

It's not right. Somethings wrong. Billie can feel it. Her alarm went off about half an hour ago and still nothing. It's just as silent as it is every other morning at three. She's still under her bed. Waiting. Just waiting.

The first sound goes off at 4. A loud pop and a gun shot. Billie get's excited when the door opens but frowns when it's not Joker. She has no clue who this person is, but he has to be with Joker. "Billie, I'm gonna need you to come with me. I'm helping J out by doing this so please make this easy on me". She slowly slides out and stands, walking to the man with slow steps. "You're gonna take me to him"? "I am. Now I'm gonna need you to put this mask on. There's a lot of gas out there and you shouldn't be breathing in any of it".

She accepts the mouth piece and slides it on, her hands shaking. "You're late". "I know that. This is a discussion for later. Now C'mere. I'm gonna need you to hang onto me, I'm a hell of a lot faster and stronger and I can't let you fall behind". With a small nod of understanding, she lets him pick her up and start running.

Now, Billie isn't as scared as she was when she first heard the plan. No. She's twice as scared. Even more so when the man mutters, "Oh shit". He hides off to the side and hikes Billie up higher. "Billie. I know you're scared right now. I can hear it and I can see it. But I need you to do me a favor. Okay? I need you to close your eyes and sing".

As he runs out to the next hall, she does just that. But, she's not an idiot. Guards are shooting at him and he's shooting back. She had truly thought they'd get through this casualty free, but here they are. Bullets flying off the walls, making home inside the chest of some men. It makes her sad, but these men are also disgusting pigs that deserve what's coming to them. Even if that means being paralyzed for the rest of their lives.

"I don't hear you. Keep singing Billie". She does just that. Belting out lyrics to the song that was playing the night she gave everything to Joker. That one song that will always be imbedded in her mind and bring back such a good feeling. It nearly makes her forget that she's surrounded by thick clouds of gas and the harsh flying of bullets. She's lost in her mind for the time being and nothing else matters. All she can think of is getting out of this place and seeing Joker. It's all she wants. Just to see him. 

"We're close. Don't stop singing. The door's about ten feet away".

Ten feet too far. When the next bullet flies, it grazes Billie's right calve and elicits the loudest scream of pain anyone has ever heard. The owner of the bullet is of course shot down but that doesn't ease Billie's pain. "Where did he hit you? Where's it hurting"? "My leg. Holy sh-shit it's burning". She squeezes her eye's shut and sighs when they're finally out of the asylum and in the cold, frigid air. "We're meeting him somewhere nearby. Just whatever you do, don't look down at your leg. Okay"? "Why? Is it still there? DID HE SHOOT MY LEG OFF"?! "Billie. Calm down. Your leg is still there. No one shot it off. He tried to shoot a tracker into you and we need to get it out and give you a shot for the infection that the small thing holds". "I thought it grazed me". "There's half of a tracker in there. It broke off. Now, I'm not gonna lie. It's gonna hurt to take it out and you're gonna wish it was shot off. You might even want to punch me. Don't".