million years ago (sequel to sweetest devotion)

I Love Your Mom

It was odd to have Joker in the passenger seat of her car. It would have been more familiar if he were driving. Allie had called and told her mother that she was going to pick Jake up that night instead of in the morning. They arrived at her mother's place, and Allie shut the car off. Her eyes wandered over to him. "J, I'm sorry." He looked forward, "Please, just go get my boy." She nodded, "I never wanted to hurt you." She rubbed his firm bicep through his crisp shirt. "I still love you too." He stared through the windshield, "I need to see him."

She went and got the boy from her mother and carried him to he car. Joker stepped out of the vehicle. "He's dead asleep." Allie said nervously. "It's ten o'clock at night." Joker retorted. "Anyway, maybe it's best for him not to see me right now." She nodded and turned the child's sleeping face towards Joker. His head rested sweetly on his mother's chest. "This is Jacob. Napier." Joker took his focus from the child to Allie for a second then his attention was again on the boy.

He stared at his child in amazement. "Put him in the car so he can stay asleep." She nodded and did so. She returned in front of the now thoughtful Joker. "I call him Jake. Jake...Jack. I thought that somehow in an alternate universe if you ever came across his name that it would be a clue for you." He listened to her and was lost in his thoughts for a moment. "Bring him to the club tomorrow night. I'll have Frost bring you in the back door and you'll meet me in my office." She nodded. "Okay. I'll do it." He opened the car door, "Take me back to the club, please."

Joker had positioned himself to be able to see Jake asleep in his car seat in the rear view mirror. "When's his birthday?" Allie was a little stunned at the question, "March 2nd." He looked at her, half smirking, "I knocked you up in the summer. The day of..." He shook off the events of the evening Allie got shot, but there was no doubt that he impregnated her earlier that day. "I'm glad you got a baby, Allie, I just know you're a wonderful mother. I hated that we lost the first one."

They got back to the club and Joker was outside Allie's driver side window. "I don't want you to be angry with me." He shook his head, "I'm not angry. I understand why you did it. I'm just happy to have you both back...somewhat." He leaned his elbows on the car door in front of Allie's face. "I'll see you two tomorrow." She nodded and smiled. Joker grinned and kissed her. They held each other's face as they hungrily showed their affection and desire that was still powerful after so much time apart.

Joker took his face away from hers and growled, "Oh, Kitten I know you've missed me in more ways than one. But get the kid home, it's getting late." She rolled her eyes playfully, "Bye, my love." He backed away from the car, "You better come back to me, Allie."

The next day, about mid morning, Allie decided to take Jake grocery shopping. Mostly because they needed stuff, but partly to take her mind off of the nervousness she was feeling. And how was she going to explain to Jake that he had a father and he was all of a sudden meeting him? She was worried about the child's reaction.

She was pushing the little boy in the cart down the cereal aisle when she decided to break the ice. "Hey, buddy, you know how you once asked me if you had a daddy? Like the other kids at daycare?" Jake's attention was taken from the colorful cereal boxes to his mother's words. His curiosity had peaked, "Yes, momma." "Well your daddy wants us to come see him tonight. Do you want to do that?" "My daddy?! Yes!"

The time had come and Allie brought Jake to the back of the club like Joker had instructed. Just like he said, Frost opened the back door for them. "Hi, man." Jake said to Frost as Allie carried him in. "Hello, Jake. We're glad you're here." Allie felt a warmth in her chest. "Jake, this is Jonny Frost. He works with your daddy." "He's just down the hall to the left, Miss Allie."

She got to the door with the boy and saw Joker sitting as his desk, waiting. "Come in." She walked toward the desk, and looked at Joker then back at Jake. He smiled at the sight of the strange looking man. She imagined having the innocent mind of a child and seeing a man with green hair, no eyebrows, and white skin with big, black tattoos all over.

"Jake, this is...Joker. He's your father." He pushed away from her, indicating that he wanted to be put down. As the boy made his way around the desk, Joker stood up from his seat and had knelt down. They were now face to face. After looking at each other for a few seconds, Jake touched Joker's face. "Daddy?" Joker smiled, "That I am, my boy." The boy smiled widely and jumped into his father's arms.

Joker stood up, clutching Jake in his arms as if he was the most precious thing in the world. He looked at the boy's face again, "He's got your cheeks." He looked over at Allie, who was practically melting at the sight of the two of them together. "You mean chubby cheeks?" She laughed. "No, no it's a good thing." He put Jake down on the floor. Joker continued, "We made a cute kid." Jake looked up at him, "How you make me?" "That is something you'll find out when you're much older."

"Smooth." Allie said to Joker. However, the little one seemed satisfied with his father's answer. Jake began to wander around the office. "Come here, Kitten." Allie went to Joker and they embraced each other. He kissed her head and they heard Jake speak, "Why you call momma that?" The two of them looked at their son. Joker explained, "Well, does she ever call you something that's not your name?" Jake seemed to be in thought for a few seconds, then he nodded. "It's the same thing. It's what you do when you love someone. You give them a nickname. And I love your mom."

As the night continued, Allie thought Joker could tell Jake anything and he'd be in awe. The boy had grown tired and passed out on Joker's chest while toying with the gold chain around his neck. "I don't even know where to begin. How do you think we should go about this? Now that he's met you, he won't be able to stand being without you."  He nodded, "We'll go slowly. Figure it out as we go."