One Bad Day

Interruption

Harley's POV

Within a month Mistah J's personality stabilized and the new Joker was a subtly changed man. Make no mistake about it, he was still lethal, still a criminal, and a murderer. Where there used to be reckless abandonment, there now lie a more calculating person who weighed options. He no longer did things just to do them for chaos sake. Now he did as he felt he had to. It became a matter of what ensured him to remain the boss. He had to assert his power. And if he felt someone must die, well they died.

But when he killed now it wasn't the same after effects as it used to be. Used to he would be on cloud nine, a laughing lunatic, but now something dark lurked in his eyes. He didn't find killing to be the joyous sport it had once been. The blood seemed to have lost it's lust. It was as if the tiny shred of Jack in him created remorse unlike the Joker had ever known. Nor did he know how to fully process it. Jack knew how, but the Joker was having to learn. It was more than he could bare. I could see him falling into a dark depression.

I guess I first noticed it the night he came home after killing Zsasz. He looked so tired, more so than I ever recall. His smile mirrored the one he would get when full of downers. It was lacking in brightness and enthusiasm. Even the cadence of his walk had changed. The confidence that used to carry him seemed to question itself.

He kissed me on the cheek and told me it was done. Of course I knew what he meant. But instead of his statement being followed by a maddening cackle, I found his eyes falling to the floor. I could practically feel the doubt in him. Normally vengeance was one of his most satisfying endeavors, next to Batsy of course. But this act seemed to have lost it's luster. He poured himself a drink and sat on the couch, elbows on his knees, stating intently at the drink in his hand.

I sat next to him and carefully took the drink from his hands. He looked up at me and I could clearly see the pressure of his internal struggle. He didn't say a word, instead he lay his head in my lap, his body going into fetal position beside me. I didn't really know what to say to him. So I just ran my hand through his green locks.

Some time later Ivy entered the room and just watched us. She'd never seen this kind of vulnerability in Mistah J before. No one had but me. Eventually I could hear his breathing deepening and I knew he was asleep. I didn't want to disturb him. So I sat very still and let him sleep.

But the peace couldn't last. The door to the penthouse burst open. Mistah J came alive and pulled his gun in a split second, pointing at the doorway.

"Boss, whoa , don't shoot!!" Calls out Aces and another of Mistah J's goons who were carrying in Johnny. He was covered in blood.

"What happened?!" Mistah J shouts as they lay Johnny on the dining room table. He walks over to Johnny for a better look at the damages.

"Fucking Riddler's guys jumped us!!" Aces shouts and starts putting pressure on the wound.

I rushed over to help Johnny. I could see the blank look on Mistah J's face. If I didn't know any better I'd think the sight of all the blood got to him.

"What do we do Boss?! He's losing a lot of blood!!" Aces panics.

Then some instinct just took over Mistah J. He ripped open Johnny's shirt and found the wound. It was in the lower abdomen. Gutshot. I  remember Mistah J telling me once that gutshots were usually always bad. Mistah J rolls Johnny to the side searching for an exit wound, but there wasn't one.

"Bring me gunpowder!" Mistah J shouts at his goons who were now standing all around. "Go get a doctor!" He shouts at more. He presses down on the wound while he waits for gunpowder.

"Here boss," says someone who returned with the gunpowder.

Mistah J grabs it and packs some down into the wound. He pulls out a knife and puts it in Johnny's mouth as he writhed in agony. Mistah J strikes a lighter and puts it to the gunpowder. Johnny starts to jump and Mistah J quickly restrains him. When he quits squirming Mistah J rechecks the wound. The bleeding had slowed some.