The Joker Made Me Do It

Chapter Thirty

<Claire's POV>

I rolled my head to the side, stretching my neck out in the process, to see Dick laying next to me, sleeping away. I let out a sigh of relief. I thought he would've just had sex with me and then leave me there. But then again, that's not the way Dick is. He has more dignity than that and he certainly isn't a coward like that. I rolled my head back up to face the ceiling and sealed my eyes shut to think.

'I'm pretty sure Dick loves me.' I thought to myself. And I knew I certainly loved him back.

'Oh dearie, you sure made a racket last night. I'm just disappointed it wasn't with me!' I heard a chuckle in my brain, bouncing around in my skull.

"You've got to be kidding me," I whispered out loud. "I thought I got rid of you."

I felt a warm hand on my stomach and opened my eyes to see Dick staring at me.

"Sorry, Claire. But you're kind of stuck with me now." I freaked out for a second, thinking maybe that he hated me, but then I could see the humor in his eyes and my worries left me in peace. He propped his head up with his elbow and fully turned to me his chest bare and out of the covers.

I let out a quite giggle and reached to hug him, but then frowned as sharp pains seared through my wrists. I sucked air in sharply with a cringe as I looked to my wrists and Dick's eyes followed to the bloody bandages. What I hadn't noticed was the blood that seeped through onto the white blankets and sheets on the bed.

"Oh my god." I muttered as I sat up to get rid of the blood. The sheets fell off of me, exposing my chest. I eeped and quickly grabbed a shirt from the ground and slid it over myself. I sighed after and stood up, as Dick did and we put our clothes on. I winced the entire time.

"Well, what a way to start off the morning." I said in pure embarrassment. Dick came over to me and hugged me from behind and held my wrists softly.

"Things happen, it's okay, Claire." I think he sniffed my hair then and I started to feel cautious. I hadn't taken a shower yet. "Let's get you fixed up."

I stared at the bloody mess I had made all over the bed and then carefully unwrapped the bandages as Dick pulled the sheets off of the stained mattress. I could only feel more embarrassment creeping onto my smiling face. I unwrapped the bandages and tossed them into the little trashcan by the nightstand. It was so cute and green! Then I looked to see some of the stitches had pulled out and blood began to gush out.

"Shit!" I exclaimed as I ran out of the door and down the hallway. I had to get to the batcave. I needed more bandages! I left a trail of blood as I passed Bruce, who had a questioning, yet horrified look on his face, and darted down the stairs to the cave. I frantically searched the tables for gauze, knocking things off and pushing them around until I heard a voice from behind me.

"Looking for this?" A cackle was heard and I slowly turned to face the Joker and blood continued to drip onto the floor.

"WHAT THE FUCK GET AWAY HOW DID YOU EVEN FIND ME WHAT THE FUCK!!" I screamed and just kept swearing as I ran at him, kicking and screaming, trying to punch him, then I heard footsteps around me, grabbing my arms.

"WHAT THE HELL!" I screeched until I heard Dick's calming voice.

"Claire, it's just me." He cooed as he took my hand and led me to a chair where he sat me down, took a wrists, and began to restitch it. "Man, I guess it was just too strenuous last night for you." He smirked as he skillfully stitched my wrists up.

I saw Bruce come into the cave and look around with the same questioning look he had on before. "Excuse me?" He coughed and gave us an I-know-what-you're-up-to-look. I could tell both of our faces heated up in embarrassment as he began to pick things off of the ground. "It wasn't down here was it?"

Dick quietly said no and Bruce laughed, but then he came over and took a look at my wrists. "You know, that's not healthy, Claire."

'hmmmm... I was waiting for Mr. Strict to yell at me... Oh well' I sighed and lowered my head in defeat. "I'm sorry." I hung my head low, but surprisingly he took my chin in one large hand and pulled it up to face him. Dick was still stitching me up. He knew not to interrupt the moment with his mentor and I.

Bruce stared into my saddened eyes with a look I wasn't ever going to forget. It was the kind of look a father got when he's staring at his daughter's grave, wondering what he did wrong. In a way, Bruce was a father to me, though neither of us would admit it. I realized it could've been my grave he'd be looking at with those sad eyes with Dick looking on with him. I could've died.

"I could've died." I said out loud once more.

"Yes." Bruce responded, then took his other hand and used both to cradle my face. "But you didn't. And you're here." He mumbled. We gazed at each other for a few more seconds before he let go and resumed picking things up off of the floor.

Dick had finished up his ditching and was wrapping my wrists up once more in the hospital-white bandages. "He's right, you know."

I snapped out of my daydreaming and turned to Dick. "I do know." I whispered. And with that, I began to cry. I could feel the tears roll down my scarred face and onto the floor.

"I'll have Alfred clean this later." Bruce said quietly, realizing he needed to leave the room. His soft footsteps echoed throughout the cave and up the stairs into the manor.

I leaned my head into Dick's chest as he stroked the back of my hair.

"Who were you fighting with?" Dick asked me. "There was no one there?" It sounded like a question that escaped his lips.

I stopped crying and looked to the side, not daring to meet Dick's stare. "I guess I was just imagining things." I sighed.

Dick sighed with me. "Claire, you need to tell me what you saw." He said with tight frown. There was a strain in his voice.

I cleared my throat and answered him. "I saw nothing. I'm sorry. Maybe it was just a bat." Dick didn't seem convinced, but decided it was best not to question me further. I didn't need to be pestered at the moment. "It was nothing." I reminded myself and I hugged Dick. Worry hung over me when I heard a voice in my head.

'No it wasn't.'