Europe is our oyster.

Gotham

I can't stop thinking about him. Its been 3 weeks since we got back from London and I'd seen no sign of him in that time. Normally he would have escaped from Arkham by now so earlier today I phoned the doctors there and asked them what was going on. The reports I received were not good. He hasn't eaten or slept at all since we got back and has refused to speak to anyone. For Joker this sort of behaviour is so different that it's cause for concern which why I'm now being lead through the stark white corridors of Arkham Asylum towards Joker's cell. The staff here think I'll be able to help. The true is that I'm probably the one who caused all this in the first place. I'm not sure what I expect to find in there and I don't know what I'm going to do or say. For once in my life I don't have a plan.

Luckily, because it's me, we get talk alone and unsupervised. Thank goodness for small mercies. The cell door clangs shut behind me and I gaze at my new dark and dingy surroundings. The first thing I notice is the straight jacket lying abandoned on the floor but that's only because I was looking for it. You can never be too careful when it comes to the Joker. After that I start to notice the rest of the room and I feel my mouth fall open in astonishment. On the wall running alongside the bed are loads of photographs, photos of Joker and me. Taking a closer look I recognise all the places we went to on our trip and I'm surprised by how many he managed to take of the two of us together. I feel a strange pain in my chest as I look at one of us in St Petersburg. Joker is smiling and waving at the camera whilst I glare in the opposite direction, completely oblivious to what's going on.

Taking a deep breath I turn my attention to the figure curled up on the bed with its back to me. "Joker, it's me. We need to talk" I announce, clearing my throat nervously. Sitting up he turns to face me and I'm left speechless. There are dark circles under his eyes, his hair is all dishevelled and the usual bright red lipstick has almost worn away completely. It's the eyes that truly stand out the most though. There is a hint of anger and sadness in them but the main spark is gone. Behind the vale of emotion they are dead and haunted. I'll feel sickened with myself as I stare at him. What have I done?

"Get out, I don't want anything more to do with you."

My head feels like it's going to explode there's so much going on inside it. Part of me wants to throw my arms around his neck and never let him go whereas another part of me wants nothing better than to torture and kill him in the slowest and most painful way possible. I don't have the energy for either of these things or to let those emotions show. I don't have the energy for anything anymore. "We need to talk" he repeats lamely, all authority gone from his voice. I go blind with rage as I look at him. How dare he become so pathetic, how dare he fall apart!

"DO WE?! I TRIED TO TALK REMEMBER BUT YOU WOULDN'T LISTEN! OH YOU ACT LIKE YOU WILL, YOU OFFER YOUR HAND TO PULL ME UP OUT OF THE DARKNESS BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT YOU'D RATHER STAB ME IN THE BACK AND LEAVE ME! WELL I CAN'T COPE WITH BEING STRUNG ALONG LIKE THAT ANYMORE! EITHER SAVE ME OR KILL ME! IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE STOMACH TO MAKE THAT DECISION THEN BY ALL MEANS LEAVE ME HERE TO ROT BUT DON'T EXPECT ME TO STILL WANT YOU IN MY LIFE AFTER THAT BECAUSE I WON'T!"

I'm right up in his face, screaming at him but he doesn't even flinch. He just stands there and takes it. A ringing silence follows. Somehow I feel both emotionally dead and overloaded at the same time. Why can't it all just stop? "I'm sorry" he whispers suddenly, looking at the floor. "What?" I ask, taken aback but still angry. "I said I'm sorry. I let my emotions cloud my judgement and as a result I acted in a way which was totally out of order. There was no bomb, you lied about that. It's only since I got back to Gotham that I have fully realised that. You had done nothing wrong and I should have stopped and listened to you. Sorry" he says, sounding like a business man apologising for a company mishap. Just as dead and just as unfeeling. "You only just realised that? Gotham PD could have told you that straight away and they are about as stupid as you can get. Are you really that blind or is this your way of getting back at me for all the things I've done to hurt you? If so, and lets be honest I definitely deserve it, just be honest about it. I can respect you for that but not for behaving like a soulless coward. Well if that's what you are trying to do then consider the lesson learned because I wish I had never met you. You make me sick!" I shout. I turn away from him and there's another intense silence.