Devyn's POV

Sitting down on the so familiar sofa I look around. I missed this place. Red walls covered in photos of family and of us. Dark wood floors and mix-matched furniture. Tv mounted on the wall in front of me. Shane's voice zones me back in,  

"Where have you been all this time? What happened to you?"

I sighed and looked away, "I was looking for the Joker.."

His mouth fell open as his face twisted through different emotions, 

"you..what..why?"

"that night you found me unconscious under the stairs that was my own fault. I helped him escape and gave him an exit but he didn't want me going with him because he didn't want me ruining my life, so he knocked me unconscious while he ran"

"okay..start from the beginning.. how did all this happen.."

"It started when he first kidnapped me. He protected me from his thugs, stopped them from coming near me, he killed one of them because they touched me. He took me home because he didn't want me with him because of the danger. However, I kept tracking him, using the excuses of his crimes..."

He sat there and listened to me as I explained everything, how I let him go at Bruce's party and it was my idea to hurt me to make it believable, the accident of the explosion, living with Bruce, that final night and what I've done since. The only thing I left out is who Batman is and the last 48 hours. Once I had finished he sat there for a few seconds, staring.

"okay..um..wow..firstly, you're such an idiot to think you couldn't tell me any of this.."

I chuckled and he grinned taking my hand, 

"What you've gone through is insane. but you're my best friend and I love you, I'll be there to stand by you no matter what, you won't have to go alone anymore.."

"Thank you, Shane, I love you too, so much, "I say teary-eyed once again, 

"I love the hair colour and cut by the way De" He grins, 

"thanks, I did it at a gas station"We laugh, 

He had a laugh like glass shattering: sharp, brief, and sudden, crashing to a halt. He chuckled slowly and warmly, reminding me of honey. He had a crooked little laugh to match his crooked little smile--and his crooked little mind. His laugh was like thunder; it was a low, rumbling boom. I stand up and walk over to his small balcony, only enough for two people to stand out there and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it. I felt him look at me but I felt no judgement, I know he wouldn't, he respected my choices, 

"Did you find him?"He asks me, 

"yes..well actually he found me.."

"soo? what happened!!"He giggled, 

"I shouted at him to start with, I was angry for him disappearing for 2 years then suddenly popping up.."I paused remembering the moment, emotions flooding back, "...and all he said after was..' I love you' and I kissed him.."

Looking beside me Shane squeals slightly, "does that mean my best friend is dating the Joker?!" 

"yes" I giggle, "his name is Jack"

"Does Millie or Jamie know?"

"No, I came to you first.. and I haven't spoken to Jamie since our argument at the police station.."

Shane's face then dropped, "oh no.."

He gripped my shoulders and looked into my eyes, 

"you need to be careful...Jamie has changed in the past 2 years, he's gone mad, looking for you, swearing he will be with you..he swore to kill Joker after we found you unconscious.."

I sighed, looking over the balcony. I jumped as there was a knock at the door. I freeze and Shane rushes to the door as I flick my fag away and run into the living room,

"It's Millie..do you want to see her?"

"yes, I do.."

He smiles and opens the door, 

"Hey Shane, I thought I'd pop over..you okay, what's up?"He asks, squeezing his arm, 

He moves out the way and Millie looks in my direction, 

"Devyn..?"

"Yeah..it's me"

Dropping her bag she runs over to me, slamming into me at full force and hugs me, crushing me. Squeezing her just as tight I brace a hand on the wall to stop myself from falling, 

"Omg. it's you..it's really you.."She blubs, 

"I'm so sorry for leaving you...I was protecting you and I promise I'm going to explain."

She pulls away and cups my face roughly, "you bloody well will explain"

I smile and pull her into another hug, "I missed you so much.."

Once again I sat down on the sofa and explained the same thing to her as I did Shane, 

"Okay, so you're dating the Joker now.."

"yes.."I chuckle, 

"a'right..this might take me a bit of getting used to but it doesn't matter, as long as you're safe and not about to waltz out and not come back again."

I pick up both of their hands and look at them, 

"I won't be going anywhere this time, I'm staying"

They pull me in. I had been hugged before, but never like this since my mother passed. There was something so warm, something that felt right, smelt right. I let my body sag, muscles coming loose. In that embrace, I felt my worries lose their keen sting and my optimism raise its head from the dirt. Perhaps the hope had been there all along, but without some love, it was trapped, like crystals in a stone. I pull away, 

"Millie, you need to make sure Jamie doesn't know anything about me and doesn't know I've come back, not for a while anyway.."

"of course, I'm guessing Sahne's told you how he's changed"

"yeah..I'm just going to get some fresh air, the last 48 hours have been overwhelming"

They nod and I stand up and go back to the balcony, leaning over the side, closing my eyes and breathing in the air. Opening my eyes and looking below the city flowed in its tense way, bustling and honking. I'd always been fond of balconies. For the first time in years, I let my imagination wander. I felt that if I could only manage to stand on one long enough, the right one, wearing a long white trailing gown, preferably during the first quarter of the moon, something would happen: music would sound, a shape would appear below, sinuous and dark, and climb towards me, while I leaned fearfully, hopefully, gracefully, against the wrought-iron railing and quivered. But this wasn't a very romantic balcony. It had a geometric railing like those on middle-income apartment buildings of the fifties, and the floor was poured concrete, already beginning to erode. It wasn't the kind of balcony a man would stand under, playing the flute...Besides, it was only five feet off the ground. 

My eyes snapped open as I heard a car screech below. I continued to watch assuming it was Jack, however, Jamie stepped out and slammed the door. I squeaked and ran inside, hiding around the corner. Shane and Millie looked at me, panicked, 

"Jamie just pulled up.."

"Shit!"Shane hissed, 

"Go to the bedroom, if he isn't gone soon, use the fire escape and go"

"Thank you" I smile, kissing his cheek, 

I hide in the bedroom and shut the door to a small crack. Shane lets him in and I hear them talk. I get a glimpse of him, his hair back to blonde, his face looks older than what I remember, most likely from stress, 

"Hey guys, any news on her?"He asks, 

I hear Millie sigh, 

"Jamie gives it up, she obviously doesn't want to be found I told you that before.."

"yeah man, it's getting weird and obsessive"

I hear him growl and a thud, I wonder if he hit the wall, "it's not obsessive!... I just..love  her and want her back.."

"she'll come back in her own time.."Millie sighs, 

Another knock sounded at the door, I frowned. Who is it this time...Poking my head out I squint and I thought my heart had stopped, 

"You motherfucker!!"Jamie screeched,  

Shane grabbed him and pulled him back, 

"hmm..just here for Devyn" He chuckles, 

"She hasn't been in Gotham for 2 years" Jamie spits at him, 

Jamie stood there, a sort of toddler expanded to adult size, irritation in his anger, a sort of impetuousness. I watched as thin blond hair moved over skin that yearned for more shade and rest. His eyes were on the small side, as if afraid to let the light in; his mouth was small and rigid as if only used for the sort of smiles that mask cruelty, perhaps born of a lifetime of suspicion and the special kind of superiority that radiates contempt. It was one of those mouths that only twitch upward when deception is achieved.

"Go back to the freak show!" he snarled.

"JAMIE!"Millie shouts, appalled, 

A small laugh escaped Jack's lips, "Freak show? hahaha! if you're here, I'm already there." he finishes, sneering, 

Jamie kicks Shane, shoving him backwards. Launching forwards he punched Jack straight in the mouth. He only laughed and kicked the other back. Sprinting forward I ran into the middle of the room, holding my hands out,

"stop!"I shout,

everyone freezes.