Three is a crowd

Chapter Twenty

Pax sighed as she looked into Gotham's night sky.

"Pax!"

She turned around to face Joker. "Hello J."

"Come on baby, let me take you home." He offered his hand.

Pax let out a tearful laugh, "Think I'm almost there. The flames sure look like hell to me."

Joker took a step closer, "Why didn't you show the board my plans against them?"

Pax rolled her eyes, "Sentimental I guess."

"You could have done this like everyone else. An e-mail would have done it." He caressed her cheek.

"And do it normal? Where's the fun in that?" , she smirked.

"Get away from him!" Pax rolled her eyes to Harley.

"Oh God, its the third wheel."

Harley was heaving through gritted teeth, "I'm not the third wheel!"

Joker pushed Pax out of the way as Harley roared while she charged. She pushed him to the ground, "Tell her you don't live for her! Tell her!"

Joker just laughed, "Oh Harley. That's exactly what I do."

Harley drew a knife from thigh to stab him, but a foot knocked her backwards off of him. Pax giggled as she helped him up; but as she did Durlin's hand jerked her back by the head of the hair.

Joker reached for her, "No!"

The building shook violently, "Time to go Pax."

"Really? Another third wheel? Can't anyone die in peace?" Pax stomped his foot. He screamed as he released her. She spun around to push him off the building but her breath hitched as he shot her. Durlin smirked confidently.

Pax slightly wobbled, wrinkled her brow and pressed her pointer finger on his shoulder and shoved hard. Durlin tripped over a leaning pipe and over the side of the building. "Well that was anticlimactic."

She turned to a shocked Joker and slumped to her side. Blood was seeping through the front of her satin dress, she winched when she placed her hand on her abdomen and brought it up covered in blood, "Oh, I really liked this one."

Joker scooped her up and cradled her, "Ill buy you a new one if you stay with me."

"Well, I have some bad news. The only way down is the fire escape, and you can't carry me and climb." Pax's head stared to wobble, "Besides, what better reason to die than for the ones you love. Put me down J."

"No!" He spun around looking for another way out.

He ran to the side of the building and hoisted Pax over his shoulder, "Oh my God, that smarts. Although the view is nice. Teee heee."

Joker growled as climbed down, "Stop cracking jokes!"

He stopped as he heard a voice calling from above, "Puddin! Help me!" Harley was reaching for him as the building shook, "Puddin Im scared!"

Joker continued to climb down with Pax, he noticed an empaled Durlin on the broken fire escape on the way down. His speed increased by jumping to the platforms below, floor by floor. "Pax, you still with me?" No answer. He pulled her from his shoulder and leaned her against the metal railing, her eyes were wide open but she was gone. He gently patted her face, "Pax?.. Pax?! No no no no!" He grabbed his hair as he sat back across from her. The building started to shake with fury. He hoisted her over his shoulder again and continued to jump down.

Below he saw a limo pull up with Oswald hanging out the sun roof, "Jump!"

Joker heaved off the side of the railing just as the building started to collapse. He landed on his back as he cradled Pax lifeless body. Oswald eased her off of him and slid her to the limo as Joker jumped to his feet. Joker cradled her in the limo as he stroked her white face. Oswald was silent as he looked out the window.

Harley roared as she watched him leave. She went to the other side of the building and ran, hoping to clear the other side. As she ran to the middle the floor caved in and she sunk into the flames.