"Flood alerts have been issued across the city today, with the worst expected in areas across Burnley and Chinatown-"

That morning, Cassidy drove amidst a storm, rain thrashing down on the hood of her car. It was as if the sky was restless, wanting to wash her away from the hand of fate.

But it couldn't stop what it knew was soon to come.

And so- it screamed.

Tremors shook Cassidy's seat as she twisted the radio dial. She leaned in; the weather interference muffling the signal.

"- warned that anyone expecting to travel must only do so if necessary. In other news, the Gotham Knights have canceled their upcoming match due to-"

The static cut off the last part, so Cassidy gave up on it and turned it off as soon as she passed through Arkham's gates.

Granted, the radio kept her occupied, but the worries she had were always one step away from rearing their ugly head.

Please just be a normal day...

She slowed down to see, to her astonishment, a row of cars queued in front of her.

Armed guards, accompanied by two snarling German Shepherds, searching through them, right down to the inside of each trunk.

Cassidy leaned over, anxious to see what was happening, when a figure banged on her window, making her jump.

She wound down the window, wincing as a torch light shone on her face.

"Name and ID"

Cassidy hesitated, rummaging in her denim pocket.

"... Uh... Cassidy Price... I..."

The torch aimed at her ID, scrutinizing it so long that it made Cassidy's arm shake.

The guard narrowed her eyes and held up her walkie-talkie.

"All clear" the guard radioed in, turning back to Cassidy. "Move down and have your vehicle ready for inspection"

"... Has something happened?"

The guard sighed, looking toward Arkham Asylum and back at the increasing number of cars queuing up, some of them beeping already.

"Routine searches, mam, for the rest of the day. Hugo's orders"

Cassidy gulped and wound up her window, struggling to see a few inches in front as rain splattered on the windshield.

The wipers screeched one side to the other in rhythm of a ticking clock, with only the towers of Arkham ahead.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

///

The clock ticked in the Staff Room as Cassidy, dripping wet from the rain, slammed in, disturbing a figure at the table.

"Oh!"

Pearl, one of the kitchen staff who had been fiddling with something, immediately jumped up like a cat as soon as she heard the door bang.

"S-Sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine... it's just no one usually comes here this early" Pearl said, coughing through nerves.

Pearl moved to the bin, tossing out the plastic wrapping. In the middle of the table, Cassidy spotted stacks of heart-shaped cupcakes, in pastel pink and blue, with sprinkles on top. Simple, but tasty looking.

Cassidy almost forgot it was Valentine's Day.

"Did... You make these?" Cassidy asked, approaching with hesitation.

Pearl nodded, turning away as she tidied the rest of the packaging.

"It was an excuse to bake. Want one?"

"Sure"

Cassidy took a bite of one. Sugary, with flavors of vanilla, as the sponge-like texture melted in her mouth.

Pearl checked her reaction like a nervous puppy.

"Is it bad?"

"N-no!"

Pearl's eyes lit up.

"Really? You don't think so?" Pearl exhaled. "... I thought it was stupid but, I mean, I know I've only been here for a while and, well, I don't know everyone, and people, well I- have a hard time with making- uh, no, what I mean is-"

Cassidy listened with intent, cramming down pieces of cupcake in fear that she would need to give a reply. Luckily, Pearl was so busy trying to correct herself that she didn't seem to notice.

"Sorry- I don't know what I'm saying, really" Pearl mumbled.

Cassidy paused for a moment, breaking off the pieces of sprinkles from the cupcake as she listened.

"So, do you come by a lot, or-"

!

One of the cupcake pieces lodged in Cassidy's throat, sending her into a full coughing fit, tears streaming. Pearl rushed over, patting her back.

Another staff member, Alyce Sinner, walked in just as Cassidy coughed it out.

All three of them gawked at the soggy piece of sponge cake that had happened to land- straight down- next to Alyce's shoe.

She took one blank look at them both, leaving the room without saying a word.

Cassidy and Pearl stared at each other for a few seconds, unsure of what to do. Then, as the guilt evaporated, Pearl's mouth twitched, sending them into fits of laughter.

///

"I mean, I'm just here for the internship- I've got no clue what I'm doing after this. Y'know?"

Cassidy nodded as they reached the elevator.

"Oh by the way, Jerry Maguire's playing at the Film Club, if you don't have anything planned"

"What's that?" Cassidy asked as she pressed the elevator button.

"Wait- you've never seen Jerry Maguire?" Pearl gasped "It's like the holy grail of rom-coms!"

"Oh- Uh. Rom coms aren't my thing, really"

"Suit yourself!" Pearl said as she walked away. "Invitation's still open if you wanna join"

Cassidy turned around at the last minute.

"What time is it on?" She called out.

"8- I think. My shift finishes at 6 but I honestly don't have anything better to do"

As Cassidy got in the elevator, Pearl ran back over like she had remembered something at the last second.

"Oh yeah, and if you know anyone else who'd like to choke on a cupcake, feel free to pass it round" Pearl laughed awkwardly "I'm practically giving them away at this point"

Cassidy took the extra cupcake, waving back at Pearl as the doors closed.

///

Cupcake in hand, Cassidy rode the elevator, looking down with a wistful smile.

"You know Arkham's policy-"

Voices emerged from the 1st Floor, getting louder as she approached.

"For God's sake, they're for my wife! It's Valentine's Day!"

The elevator opened as a doctor chased after one of the guards, carrying away a pot of tulips; gift-wrapped in cellophane with a ribbon bow on the front.

"Collect it after your shift, Dr. Cavendish" the guard sighed, shoving the pot inside a hazard bag. "You can't keep it here"

They continued arguing around the corner, but Cassidy shrugged and turned her back to them as she went to Maximum Security.

The doors buzzed open as a familiar voice sang down the hallway.

"♫- Craaazy for crying,

And I'm crazy for loving yooou...♫"

Cassidy grinned, sneaking over as Joker danced around his cell.

"♫Craaaaazy...

For thinking that my love could hold youuuuu♫"

As soon as Cassidy sat down, something unusual caught her eye.

A pot of black powder sat on the edge of Joker's bed, discarded, along with a lid that didn't seem to belong to anything. Then, she spotted, in his hand, a blunt tube of lipstick, held up to his mouth like a microphone.

"Well- look who's going my way!"

Joker spun round and she saw, to her surprise, his face made up exactly like it was in the newspapers. Coal-black eyeshadow, red lipstick that somehow managed to stretch his smile wider. Even his green hair, styled back, as if he were getting ready for a night on the town.

"Like the getup, kiddo? Gotta say, I really ought to thank Crane for getting these- especially the lipstick- who knows how he smuggled it in..."

Cassidy remained speechless for a moment before pointing to the edge of his bed.

"B-but- aren't they supposed to be..."

"Confiscated?!" Joker gasped in mock astonishment. "Well, since nobody likes a tattletail, let's just say I can be very... persuasive... when I want to be..."

Joker slipped her a suggestive wink, and she looked away, cheeks blazing red.

In that moment of silence, she noticed no guards at the doors on either side, or anyone on patrol. It was wrong.

"So... Uh... Security's pretty quiet..."

Joker scoffed, dismissing her with a waft of his hand.

"They're probably busy giving Julian a cavity search- and not the fun kind, either"

"... Julian?"

She peered around, seeing that most of the other inmates were asleep in their cells, or pretending to be asleep. All except Julian Day, whose cell was completely empty.

"Where's he gone?"

Joker cackled, smacking his knee as if she had told him the funniest joke of the week.

"That wacko's in solitary! Hugo and his merry men must be watching him like a hawk by now"

"But he hasn't done anything!"

"Oh, but he will. Holidays are his... shall we say... 'thing'"

Joker waltzed his way toward the glass, almost breaking into a performance.

"Now me? I start trouble any time of the year! Still-" Joker said, leaning in "Between us, it's easier when there's a distraction or two along the way..."

Suddenly- everything went pitch black.

"And my oh my... what a nice little distraction we're having..."

The Arkham sirens wailed as the lights came back on, flashing red.

No...

Cassidy shot up.

"Warning//security breach//lockdown in: 5 minutes-"

Cassidy turned to see Joker, the man she had considered a friend, grinning at her sadistically.

"Better start running! HAHAHAHA!"

Joker's laughter followed her as she ran.

And left on the floor- was Pearl's heart-shaped cupcake.

Broken.

A/N: Here we go...