Siblings

Halloween Green

"Spence, baby, I brought ya pancakes," a voice with a New York accent was accompanied by a knock on the door. Spencer Nigma looked up from his makeshift desk on the round table. Jenny Quinn was in her pajamas and had her pigtails in more relaxed positions by her shoulders.

"Thank you, Darling, come in," he gave Jenny a brief smile before returning to his work. 

"What cha workin on?" she set the pancakes in the only spot that wasn't occupied by newspaper clippings or hasty sketches on notebook paper.

"Our next big scheme." He leaned back and raked a gloved hand through his hair. "Unfortunately, I'm not just a pretty face. I'm the mastermind behind our little team."

"Yeah, you are," she giggled. She moved behind him and massaged his shoulders through his violet dress shirt. "You are wicked smart, I gotta tell ya."

"Smarter than the Joker?" he couldn't help but ask. Jenny blew out a breath.

"Oh, I dunno about that." She walked around his chair and plopped down in his lap. "Mistah J... he's unpredictable, y'know? No one knows what goes on in that big head of his... like, you never know what the plan is, ever. You just do what he says and..." A deep sadness surfaced before her diamond-strong poker face could cover. 

The Riddler gently cupped her cheek. "You are no longer his pawn, my love. I will never let him use you again," He promised, quiet but firm. Her eyes filled with wonder, then she gave him a watery smile.

"Thank you," she whispered and cuddled into him further. He decided to give himself a break and took both Jenny and his pancakes to the parlor room. 

It was, admittedly, very rocky when they first brought Jenny home. She was violent to the point of having to lock her in her bedroom. They eventually started mildly sedating her until she stopped breaking pieces of the bedframe and using them to break things. 

After a few months of coaxing, Jenny finally opened up and considered herself a part of their strange little family. Spencer reminded her of their time spent together in Arkham before the Joker butted in. She was an excellent riddle solver when she was called Dr. Jennifer Quinnzel. 

"I always liked you, Spence. I never felt scared with you. I feel like... If your dad didn't leave you so young you coulda been a great doctor, or inventor, or professor. Something smart-like."

The Riddler raised an eyebrow, "Thanks." She giggled at his flat tone. 

"You know what I mean, baby."

"Uh huh," he said unconvinced. "You know I'm no psychologist but I would blame it on the trauma of being the school punching bag well throughout puberty, but sure we'll go with the Old Man leaving me to take care of my schizophrenic mother at the age of ten." 

Jenny's eyebrows raised.

"Okay, when I put it like that, it sounds worse than it was."

"Ya think?"

Before Spencer could defend himself, a loud siren sent vibrations through the house. 

"That's not good," he mumbled and left the couch towards his room. 

"What is that?" Jenny yelled over the blaring noise.

"Intruder alert," he yelled back. 

Just as he got to the door, the far wall blasted open, sending chunks of debris everywhere. The Riddler was thrown into a wall, wacking his head hard enough to see double. He forced himself to focus his eyes and saw that Jenny was on the floor, just a few feet away from him. He tried to get up but mind-numbing stars made him fall again, barely getting the oxygen he needed.