Laugh Lines

Brand New Year

~My blood wants to say hello to you,

My fears want to get inside of you,

My soul is so afraid to realize,

How very little there is left of me,

And I want you...~

~Nine Inch Nails~

Red had brought in Peach's supply bag and several bottles of water. He set them next to the couch and then sat across from her.

"The boss will be okay."

She looked over at the stranger sitting next to her. "What happened? The newscast stopped after Joker shot the cameraman."

Red took another drink from the beer he had. He looked over at her.

"Batman showed, Then Joker let an old lady go, He called and had me get the car ready to go. I was waiting and heard the explosion. Then the boss dove into the back seat."

She rolled her eyes. "Sounds about right." She said.

She grabbed the remote and turned on the news.

"Reports are coming in, it seems as if all remaining hostages were killed in the explosion. Six officers have been injured and are being treated as we speak. There is no sign of The Batman or The Joker, but it is believed that neither were killed in the explosion."

Peach shook her head and muted the TV. "Well that explains the gunk that was stuck to him. He looked awful." She let a strained laugh escape her.

The man laughed along with her. She looked over at him. "Red? That the name he gave you?"

"Yea, it's better than the one my folks gave me." He said finishing his beer.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yea." He looked at her. Her blood streaked face and stained hands. His eyes locked on her hand. "You two are married huh?"

"Yep." She flashed the ring she wore at him. "Legal and everything, believe it or not."

He grinned. "I believe it, the boss has a way with ladies that I just don't understand."

Peach narrowed her eyes, "Excuse me?"

"Don't get me wrong, I've never seen him give any lady a second thought, except you of course. When we did that job in the alley, that Martha lady. She was upset, hysterical. Boss sat with her, talking softly. Then she suddenly was all doe eyed towards him all the way until he shot her."

"Was she?" Peach asked, knowing the jealousy was uncalled for. It had taken her forever to get him to see her as a woman.

"Yea, he can be very charismatic when he wants to be. He didn't raise his voice at all, she just listened and did everything he asked."

"Yea, he's a real fucking Casanova." She spat.

"I didn't mean to upset you, I just meant pretty girls seem to like him, face paint and all."

She relaxed knowing it was ridiculous to get this upset. It was, she was sure, a mix of pregnancy hormones and the emotional event she had just lived through.

"Yea, well,  any girl I catch looking his way will find it harder to do when I cut out their eyes then feed them to my dogs. He belongs to me, and I don't share."

The man chuckled. "I understand, he's not my type anyway. I like big girls." He said, causing her to laugh.

She felt very tired, the rush of the surgery she had performed left her. She fought to keep her eyes open. It was time to call it a night.