A/N: Helloooo, big chapter ahead. Please only read when you can give it your full attention, as there are many little details/events that may be easy to skip over. This is easily (one of, if not the most) important chapters of the entire book. Also, wtf he's so hot???????

word count: 6438

|•|•|•|

"You know that when I hate you, it is because I love you to a point of passion that unhinges my soul."
—Julie de Lespinasse

|•|•|•|

Joker stood frozen in Ember's vacant room, his glare glued to the lipstick littered wall as his stomach churned.

That fucking poem she loved so damn much vandalised the otherwise bland drywall, the words continuously haunting him as he read and reread them a million-times-over.

The red lipstick reminded him of blood–sweet, sweet blood. Fuck, how he absolutely loved and craved the feeling of the warm liquid coating his skin. He wanted to bathe in it, play in it, make art out of it.

Once he'd crashed back down to Earth, his glare studied the sloppy penmanship further, painful memories flickering in his mind as he remenisced on them.

It felt like just yesterday when he sat in his four poster bed at Evelyn's Orphanage, nearly three in the morning as he rummaged through the book of poetry. He was searching for the very best one, a poem that could speak the feelings he felt better than he ever could. He'd never forget how fucking nervous he was that entire day, fucking quaking in his shoes as he awaited the very perfect moment to let it slip to his dearest Ember that he was undeniably and unequivocally in love with her.

With a staggered sigh, the man filed out of the lonely room, rounding the living room sofa as he collapsed onto the furniture directly beside his blonde henchman, Horton.

"She fucking hates me, Horty." Joker murmured, aimlessly picking at the excess skin surrounding his nails.

"She doesn't hate you, boss." Horton cooed, his arm darting outward to claim the madman's shoulder. His palm rest on the bare skin, Joker's torso clad with only a dark black tank top as his head hung lowly. His features sat free of any colored greasepaint, a rare and undeniably beautiful sight.

"Yes she does. She said so."

Horton awkwardly pat the man on his shoulder, removing his hand swiftly to avoid any further awkward tension as he twiddled his thumbs. This was the first time he'd truly spoken with Joker following his declaration of love for the man. Lucky for him, Joker treated him as if nothing had changed. Which, in turn, made the blonde boy fall even more in love with him, simply for the fact that he accepted him for who he was, and did not shy away from the fact that Horton adored him with every fiber of his being.

"Hey," Horton sang, craning his neck to meet Joker's paint-free eyes as faded locks hung in his vision. "Go get her, Jackson."

The name fell from his lips with ease, feeling oh-so-right to say as Horton's heart fluttered.

Jackson Jackson Jackson Jackson.

Joker, however, instantly stilled, vexation boiling in his veins as his gaze shifted upwards to meet his henchmans. At first, he wasn't quite sure if he'd heard him correctly. Not even Ember, the woman who'd known him as Jackson, called him by that name.

Why didn't she?

"What did you jus-t call me?"

Horton's jaw fell limp, a series of stammers tumbling from his tongue as he struggled to formulate a proper sentence.

Fuck.

"She fucking told you my name?" Joker seethed, harsh trembles wracking through his limbs as he jumped up from the sofa.

"I-I'm so sorry, sir. I promise I won't ever call you it again—"

"You're-uh, lucky I consider you a friend, Hort." Joker mumbled, his hand cradling the lining of his jaw as his index finger and thumb collided with the skin of his lower lip, tugging the skin downward with angst as he paced the floor.

Horton's heart skipped several beats at Joker's confession.

"If you tell anyone," Joker warned, waving a finger in Horton's direction. "I'll fucking castrate you. Go-t it?"

"Y-Yes, boss." Horton stuttered, his blue hued eyes glued to the floor as he desperately tried to push away the image of Joker even coming near his–

"Take me to her, will you?" Joker ordered, snatching a purple and black checkered flannel from a nearby barcalounger, sliding the material up the curves of his arms as he shrugged it up his shoulders. Horton practically gawked at the sight, his eyes following Joker's red, black and white paint stained fingers as he delicately slid the buttons of the shirt through the holes, concealing that rather sexy tank-top of his as he took his bottom lip between his teeth in concentration.

Seeing the Joker in anything but dress shirts and that damn theatrical suit was nothing less than exhilarating. Even though the formal attire was downright sexy on him, there was just something about the casual attire that made Horton's head swim (and other things twitch...)

"C'mon, pal." Joker thickly urged, running a hand through his hair as the pad of his thumb grazed the destroyed flesh of his left cheek.

|•|•|•|

Ember lay entrapped between the thick blanket of her duvet, her face buried in the fluffy pillow as she stared blankly at the wall.

Nearly three months it's been since she'd slept in this bed. The bed where she made love to Noah, the bed where she wept for months following Noah's untimely death. The bed where she'd almost—almost—taken her life. The three weeks following Noah's death was an extremely dark time, and Ember had shamefully fallen into the pits of a perscription drug addiction, going a bit over the top when one night, she decided to swallow a bit too many painkillers.

She was truly lucky to be alive. However, in this very moment, she felt good as dead.

She'd seen a therapist, a psychiatrist, an a grief counselor–all separate doctors. They'd helped her the best they could, and eventually, she'd found a permanent fix.

Noah's death was still somewhat painful. However, her recent shenanigans with the infamous Joker had gotten her deceased husband off of her mind entirely.

Noah would hate her for it. He always despised the criminal, disgusted by his soulless acts of terrorism and destruction.
If he somehow knew about her and The Joker, he absolutely hated her for sure. She was frolicking about with the man who was directly responsible for Noah's untimely death. The worst part? She didn't even fucking care.

Noah was six-feet-under. Her Jackson was also gone, nothing but a distant memory in her teenage mind. The only person she had was The Joker, and she wasn't even able to keep him either.

It was true–nobody wanted her.

She was nearly thirty-one within the next month (The fourth of April, to be exact). She had zero friends, and the only person she truly had (besides Horton, she considers Horton a friend) was gone. She'd fucked up and lost him, all because she was a selfish bitch who shamelessly liked to push his buttons.

The woman spent the next several hours in bed, well into dusk as the sun began to set behind a mess of dark clouds.

At around seven in the evening, Ember finally peeled herself from the clammy sheets, the plain white tee sticking to the sweat of her back as she trudged into the kitchen.

Just as she poured the coffee grounds into a filter, a sharp knock came at the front door.

Ember froze in place, her stomach doing flips as she craned her neck in the direction of the carob tinted door.

If Melissa was behind that fucking door...

Ember drug her feet along the tile, the too-long pant legs of her pajamas sliding against the floor as she cautiously approached the front door.

Her trembling fingers laced around the cool handle of the door, twisting it clockwise as the lock unlatched with a click.

The air escaped her lungs entirely the moment he came into view.

Lounged against the uneven bricks of the front porch, only a foot-or-so away from the door, his boot-clad feet lay crossed at the ankles. Torso clad in a black and purple checkered flannel, the sleeves slightly bunched at the wrists as his recognizable set of tattooed lines peeked through. His arms sat crossed as a hearty, toothy grin lay plastered across his paintless face. Several whisps of faded curls framed his features, his eyes sparkling as he admired the broken girl that stood before him.

"Hiii." Joker mused, his left eyelid flickering closed for a mere second as he winked in her direction.

This fucking man...

Ember let out a sigh, crossing her arms in response as Joker practically eye-fucked her from the front porch.

"Can I-uh, come in?"

"I suppose." Ember grunted, stepping aside to allow him entrance to her home.

Joker nodded curtly in response, uncrossing his legs as he shoved his hands deeply into his jet black jean pockets.

Ember watched with raised brows as he strut into her home, his eyes flickering over the decor as Noah's destroyed face came into view on the wall.

A twinge of guilt flickered across Joker's features, exhaling loudly through his scarred lips as he leaned his back against the kitchen wall.

"Making coffee this late at nigh-t?" He playfully mocked.

Ember shrugged in reply, resuming her actions as she began to brew her coffee.

Joker stood idle along the wall, intently licking his lips as his eyes trailed along Ember's lanky body.

She wore a slightly stained (and somewhat see through) white t-shirt, along with pale pink dress pants that drug along the floor and tangled at the bottom.

"Hey-uh, Em—"

"Why are you here?" Ember spat, the palms of her hands resting against the surface of the counter as she hunched her shoulders forward.

Joker's mouth went dry at her inquiry, the fight they had just last night still fresh in his mind as he contemplated picking another one.

Who the fuck was the Batman?

"I–" Joker stammered, but Ember wouldn't let him finish.

"If you're not here to apologize, just fucking leave." She snipped.

"I didn't mean what I said." He plainly put, diverting his stare to the floor as Ember's neck twisted in his direction.

"Joker, you always say that, but then you just end up saying the same hurtful things over and over." She whispered, blinking away several stinging tears as she pressed her weight against the counter, propelling herself from the surface as she straightened her stance.

"Em—"

"I can't do this anymore, Joker. I can't just be a set of legs to you." Ember murmured, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers as she choked back nasty sobs.

Don't be such a baby, Ember.

Joker's leg rose up to meet the wall, pushing against the hard surface as he propelled himself in Ember's direction.

"You're not, Ember." He exclaimed, hands outstretching to claim her elbows.

She wasn't quite having it, however. The moment his fingers brushed against her skin, she let out a yelp, tugging away from him as she backed quickly away, her lower back coming into contact with the dials of the stove as she winced in discomfort.

Joker halted in place, a look of–hurt?–plastered on his features as his eyes drooped.

"Don't touch me." Ember staggered, chest heaving painfully as her world began to finally crumble.

This was it. This was the end.

"I think it's best if we just—"

"No." Joker scolded, his index finger jabbing the tip of her nose as she stilled under his touch. "Don't fucking even—"

"Please don't hurt me again." Ember cowered, eyeing his finger closely.

Joker slowly lowered his hand, his chest beginning to ache at her words.

Please don't hurt me again.

Joker defeatedly exited the kitchen without another word, his heart racing achingly in his chest.

Ember observed as Joker strut into her living room, collapsing onto the navy plush sofa as his head fell into his hands.

"Joker?" Ember whispered, approaching the couch cautiously as she took a seat on the opposite end, careful not to get too close in case he lashed out on her again.

Joker gradually lifted his head from his hands, his eyes staring blankly ahead at the silent, moving picture of the television as he irritably tapped his foot.

"You asked me what I was afraid of and I said nothing." He confidently began, the fingers of his right hand toying with his left as his leg bounced at an even quicker pace.

"I lied straight through my teeth."

Ember inched closer to the madman, her pulse quickening as she contemplated reaching out a hand to meet his shoulder–thigh–any part of his body at all. Quite frankly, she just wanted to touch him.

"The only thing in this deranged world tha-t I've ever been afraid of is you. Losing you. Living with-out you."

Joker paused, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding as his gaze remained focused in front of him. He could see Ember through his peripheral vision, but he couldn't look at her. He couldn't face the rejection.

"You've-uh, got your hooks in me so deep and they're never fucking coming ou-t. You've got me so tightly wrapped around your finger that I can hardly fucking breathe." He enunciated, waving his hands in the air to further express his words as he smacked his lips loudly.

"You are the only good thing I've ever known."

Ember sat dumbfounded beside him, mouth held wide open in astonishment as Joker twiddled his thumbs, now bouncing both legs in anticipation as he awaited some type of response.

Anything will do...

"Hey," Ember cooed, her hand darting outward to capture his bare cheek.

Joker's gaze flickered over, finally focusing on hers as his chocolate brown eyes immediately softened.

Home wasn't a place. It wasn't some luxurious building, garnished with particular items. It wasn't a specific time or instance when the memories were the fondest, all in relation to a distinct location. No–Home was an individual. A person with two legs, two arms, a set of lungs and a beating heart. Home was a woman with a crooked nose (even more so that it had been broken), prominent cheekbones and a set of identical chocolate brown orbs. Home was overgrown platinum blonde hair, the natural dark locks peeking through at the roots. Home was a pair of chapped, rosey red lips that tasted like heaven and generated acute intoxication. Home was the woman who would own and hold Jackson Napier's heart for the rest of eternity. Home was, and will always be, Ember Laine DeLoughrey.

Ember tauntingly licked her lips, her heart racing beneath her ribcage as Joker stared deeply into her soul, pulling her in with every fiber of his being as she wanted nothing more than to wrap herself so tightly around him that she'd simply suffocate.

"In another world, things would've been different." She whispered, dropping her palm to rest against the curve of his arm. With a deep breath, she continued.

"We would've married, probably at nineteen because we were just that damn impatient and so madly in love. We would've had babies, probably quite a few because we wouldn't be able to keep our hands off of each other. In another world, a normal world, you and I would've been a stereotypical family. You would've had some typical job, maybe a desk job, I dunno. I would've been a teacher or a travel agent or something of the sorts. But you know what? That's not the world I want."

Ember twitched in place, her mind visualizing that made-up fantasy world of hers. A Joker without the scars, three or four or even maybe five children, half him and half her, running around in fits of giggles. That visual, however, was not what Ember wanted anymore. It was absolutely something she could live without.

"I want the violence. I want the late nights and the uncertainty. I want the unpredictability and not knowing whether or not I'm going to live or die the next day."

Joker sat stunned beside her, eyes wild as she read his features for any possible reaction.

"As long as I wake up and see your face every single morning until my last breath, I am absolutely content." She finished, letting out a staggered breath as her fingers laced around the skin of his arm, squeezing reassuringly as her heart nearly burst from her chest.

Joker remained unmoved, not once blinking as he studied her face. She looked absolutely breathtaking, even minus a shower and with the black sunken bags underneath her eyes.

"Joker—"

Several foreign words fell from the scarred lips of the madman beside her. Words that before tonight, Ember truly thought she'd never hear again. Words that Ember was quite certain would only remain in her memory, a reminder of when times were truly good.

The proclamation, the oh-so-perfect declaration of emotion tumbled from Joker's open mouth, fluttering through the air with supinity as it sent deep, raging shivers down the spine of Ember's back. It was truly a radiant sound, prompting the womans chest to swell and pulse to quicken as the statement still lingered in the air.

"I love you."

A instantaneous sense of relief washed over the pair of them, an indescribable feeling overcoming the woman as the three comprehensible words repeated over and over in her head. She felt weightless–as if she'd simply managed to escape from the strict confinement of her body and floated blissfully into a world of adoration and contentment.

There was nothing simple about the phrase that tumbled from his scarred lips. She'd studied his expression, mentally captured the exact form his lips took as the words emerged from them, storing the image into the deepest pits of her mind so that she could consistently recall the visual whenever she pleased, however often she desired.

Ember was quite certain that there was truly not a more beautiful moment than this. There simply was nothing that could top this emotion. The sheer amount of ardor that resonated through the body of the most feared man in all of Gotham–and quite possibly the entire country–was practically overwhelming.

Joker craned his neck, searching Ember's blank expression with immense worry as his pulse quickened.

"Can you-uh, say somethin', Em?"

The woman came crashing back down to Earth, stumbling slightly upon impact as the room began to spin.

The Joker loves her the Joker loves her the Joker loves her the Joker loves her the Joker loves her the Joker loves her the Joker loves her the Joker–

"Em." Joker pressed, inching forward to cup her paling cheeks between the palms of his colorant tinted hands.

Ember's sporatic gaze finally settled upon those comforting brown eyes, contentment coursing through her veins as she went lax under his touch.

And suddenly, the words Joker had been craving to hear for over fifteen years emerged. They were even more marvelous than the first time she'd spoken them, even more gut-wrenching and pulse-quickening than ever before. The phrase clung to her lips, resonating deep through his bones as he practically melted into liquid putty upon impact.

"I love you."

Bliss.

Pure, euphoric bliss.

Joker impulsively lurched forward, enveloping the frail woman in his arms with one simple motion as his lips met hers. The pair exchanged immediate sighs of gratification, manicured fingernails lacing in the oily colored ringlets that clung to Joker's skull as Ember flattened against the cushion of the sofa.

The man towered over her, balancing his weight on his knees and elbows as he ravishingly assaulted her lips with his, being not-so-gentle at all as they pried hers open with ease.

He swallowed her breathless sighs willingly as her tongue darted outward, meeting his in the middle as they danced about. His palms met her face, the pad of his left thumb tugging against the skin of her chin as he gently yanked her chin open further, allowing him more access to taste and feel every inch of her glorious mouth with his tongue.

Lord, did she taste absolutely wonderful. Her lips were like hard liquor and her tongue delivered the packing punch, sending him into an absolute frenzy as his head went fuzzy in fulfillment. She was his drug, his own personal heroin. His absolute favorite type of candy that didn't have any lasting damage.

An innocent moan toppled from the womans lips involuntarily, her legs lacing around the bones of Joker's hips as she traced the lining of his prominent jaw with her finger.

Joker detached his swollen lips from hers, peppering soft, torturous kisses along the skin of her cheek and jaw before dipping downward into the crease of her neck.

Ember let out an additional (this time, intentional) moan of satisfaction, tilting her head back in ecstacy as her eyes screwed shut in tranquility. Her action allowed the man more access to her neck, his hand cupping her jaw as he held her head in place, ensuring that she wouldn't be able to squirm away from his prying lips.

An array of goosebumps coated the entirety of her body at the feeling of his scars against her neck. She twisted several strands of his hair between her fingers, tugging ever-so-slightly to emit that absolutely glorious moan from him that she so desperately craved.

A grin crept onto her lips when the deep sound resonated through his chest, vibrating against the bruising flesh of her neck as his hips bucked against hers.

Ember whined at the sudden contact, that familiar warm feeling growing in the pits of her belly as she drifted into a euphoric state. Funny how he wasn't even touching her, how both of them lay fully clothed and were only kissing, and she already felt so absolutely relieved...

She ground her hips upwards in response, signalling that she, too, wanted exactly that as she delivered another tug to his curls.

"Fuck, Em." Joker rasped, taking the skin of her neck between his teeth as he delicately tugged. "You're so-ah, impatient."

"Always ready for you, remember?" She breathlessly spoke, swiftly reattaching her lips to his with a simple crane of her neck as he openly sighed into her mouth.

"I'm-uh, sorry for everything I said." He muttered into her mouth, still caressing her jaw with his thumb, tracing circles against the skin.

"It's alright." Ember murmured, claiming the top several buttons of his flannel, ripping them open with ease as his hands gently tore her shirt from her torso.

"I mean it's not, but I get it. It's okay."

"Wasting no time, I see." Joker chuckled, disregarding her comment as he shrugged out of his flannel, lifting the tank top from his body in one fluid motion.

Ember's gaze settled upon the silver chain that reconnected with the tiny inconsistent patches of hair that littered his chest. Her lips curled into a grin as she took the paper plane pendant between two fingers, her thumb tracing the indents and curves of the object.

"Everyday?" She whispered, the necklace falling from her grasp as Joker urged her to lift her arms, wanting her shirt to be removed at once.

"Always."

She obliged, lifting her back from the sofa to allow him access to the fabric as it ripped from her body, disheveling her already messy strands of her as her identical necklace fell between the curve of her breasts.

"No bra?" Joker snickered, eyes brightening in amusement as he took in the sight of her.

"Oh shush." Ember playfully swatted at his bare chest, curling her hands around the base of his neck as she tugged his face back down to hers.

Ember's pajama pants slid down the length of her legs as Joker tugged open the button on his trousers, freeing himself of the constricting material as the clothes fell to the floor in a growing pile.

"Have I ever told you how much I love your face?" Ember wondered.

Joker halted his actions, a sincere grin slapping across his features as that chuckle–that laugh she oh-so-absolutely adored–fell from his lips.

"Without the makeup, I mean."

"So you're-uh, telling me I look ugly with it?" He teased, placing a simple, closed-mouth kiss to her lips before harshly pulling away.

"No! I didn't mean—"

Joker silenced her with his lips once again, her toes curling at the sensation of his smiling mouth pressed against hers tossed her into a frenzy.

A gasp fell from Ember's lips the moment his fingers pried her panties to the side, grazing against the sensitive skin lightly as she writhed beneath his touch.

"J-Joker–" She gasped, only to let out a cry when he lowered himself quickly, immediately pressing his scarred lips to her burning core without warning. He maneuvered the small, laced material down the length of her legs before discarding it entirely.

His hands cupped the back of her thighs, spreading her legs further apart to allow him more access as she squirmed against him, a strand of unattainable sounds tumbling from her mouth.

God, did he really know the ways around her body...

She began to see stars, her back arching in immense pleasure as her hands darted outward, in search of anything–everything–something to possibly grip on to. The sensation was overbearing, an array of colors–blues, purples, reds, yellows, pinks–littered her mind as she drifted into a state she'd never quite known, never truly experienced. He'd introduced her to a world she'd never seen. He'd shown her colors that she'd once been blind to. He wrote poems between her legs with his tongue, a series of words and phrases and lyrics that put any others she'd known and heard before to absolute shame.

"I-I'm close—" She shamefully confessed, her breaths emerging in staggered pants as she struggled to hold it in.

Suddenly, the sensation dissipated.

The poems ceased, the vibrant colors fading into black as that wonderful, oh so glorious feeling immediately vanished, an immute whine falling from her lips as Joker's hands firmly gripped onto her hips.

Wordlessly, the woman flipped from back to belly, balancing on all fours as she gripped onto the arm rest of the sofa, desperately awaiting the return of that oh so fucking perfect feeling...

His touch returned to her hipbones, palms latching onto the skin as if they were handles of some sort as his lips gently grazed along the small of her back, gliding up-up-up until they met the inbetween of her shoulder blades. She released a contentful sigh as his tongue lapped out to taste her flesh, the sigh transforming into a squeak when he slowly rocked into her.

The man let out a low grunt upon impact, his breaths growing short and staggered as his fingers left behind bruises in their wake.

Her fingers curled against the material of the sofa, creating indents against the fabric as her eyes practically rolled backwards in her head.

Typically, he was not gentle with her. For the first time ever, (well since their actual first time ever), he took his sweet-ole-time, rocking in and out of her in full–slow–agonizing thrusts as his fingers tightened their hold on her hips.

He breathed heavily behind her, jaw laying low in concentration as his face lowered to meet her back once again, painting her back with invisible wet kisses as he prompted tiny, breathless moans to erupt from the woman below him.

He plunged deeper inside of her, hitting that particular spot deep within her as a yelp of surprise tumbled from her lips.

It had been quite a while since someone had struck that spot...

"Oh fuck–"

Joker picked up the pace slightly, repeatedly striking that overly sensitive spot of hers as she loudly cried out every single time he came into contact with it. The sound of her pleasurable cries stirred something deep within him, involuntary groans falling from his lips in response as he bucked into her.

The feeling in Ember's legs nearly vanished entirely, her limbs resembling that of putty as she let out a chorus of inaudible phrases. Oh, was she so fucking close–and she could barely even utter a noise–a sound–anything at all to signal him of her upcoming release.

Joker's head lulled back in ecstacy, eyes screwing shut as he effortlessly rocked into her, his thumb swiping against the place where they lay connected as she let out a shrill shout in response.

That single noise alone was enough to send him over the edge, the tightening sensation in his lower abdomen becoming extremely overbearing as he refused to hold it in any longer.

With an equal unison exhale, both Ember and Joker rode out their highs, several whines falling from her lips as he collapsed against the small of her back with a low moan. His left hand darted upwards, claiming the skin of her shoulder as he took a bit between his fingers, squeezing tightly as he struggled to come down from his high.

The pair lay in an equally tranquil state, both drifting off into their own little lands of extreme pleasure and satisfaction as Joker rest his weight against her back, ultimately defeated from their expeditious round of lovemaking.

Several moments later, once the man was finally able to somewhat regain his strength, he pulled swiftly out of her, peppering loving kisses along every inch of her skin as she moaned in response.

"Oh Em," He murmured, brushing her fallen locks away from her face with difficulty as she lay lax against the arm of the sofa. His fingers revealed her reddened cheek, sighs of content tumbling from her lips as he pressed a simple kiss to her face. "I'd say that was some good-uh, make up sex, wasn't i-t?" He teased.

|•|•|•|

"Stop it!" Ember giggled, swatting Joker's hand away as she repositioned herself underneath the steady stream of balmy water.

"Oh c'mon, babe." Joker rasped, his arms snaking around her waist as his chin claimed it's spot along the curve of her shoulder. "Don't be such-ah party pooper."

Ember twisted carefully on her heel, being overly cautious about the slippery floor of the shower as she turned to face him.

He towered over her slightly–wet, flattened ringlets falling into his gleaming eyes as a smirk tugged at his bare scars, flashing a toothy grin in her direction.

"Kiss me." He softly ordered, his thumb encouragingly tracing the lining of her jaw as she leaned forward in response, connecting their lips with a giggle as her arms curled naturally around his neck.

Ember's fingers comfortably twisted into the soaked hairs that sat attached to his skull, an immediate groan falling into her mouth at once as she smiled against his lips.

Their bare bodies pressed firmly against one anothers, the heavenly feeling of skin-on-skin propelling them both into an immediate state of relaxation as she molded into his embrace.

"I love this feeling." She openly admitted, detaching her lips from his.

Joker's stare focused solely on her swollen lips, tugging his bottom one between his teeth as he instantly craved the feeling once again.

"What feeling?" He taunted, knowing quite well what she was referring to.
"The feeling of my extremely hard dick between your legs?"

Ember playfully smacked that smirk of his clean off his face, her jaw ajar in mock shock as she burst into a fit of laughter.

"No." She drawled, pressing an additional kiss to the hollow skin between his collarbone and chest.

"The feeling of our bare bodies touching." Ember whispered against his collar.

"Mmm." He merely sighed in response, his hand weaving into the tangled locks of her wettened hair. She went limp under his touch, resting her cheek against his chest as her nose tickled the base of his neck.

Joker pressed a petite kiss to her forehead before resting the left side of his face against the top of her head, fingers toying with the knotted strands of her hair as they rocked back and forth in place.

"Can I wash you?" He interrupted the comforting silence, his voice low and unsure as his fingers continued to brush through her hair.

Ember lifted her head from his shoulder, brows raised curiously as a simple giggle emerged from her.

"Be my guest."

Ember watched intently as Joker snatched up a nearby bottle of raspberry scented body wash, prying open the cap with somewhat shaking fingers as he squeezed a quarter-size amount into the palm of his hand.

With a grunt, he replaced the bottle to its home, vigorously rubbing the palms of his hands together to lather the soap.

Ember slyly watched as the man fell to his knees before her, shooting her a seductive grin before lacing his palms around the curves of her legs, massaging the soap into her skin.

The woman stood awkwardly frozen in place, unsure of what to do with her hands as he traveled upwards, continuously coating her flesh with the liquid soap as he pressed an occasional sloppy kiss to her skin in random places.

Joker's tongue routinely darted out, claiming the marred skin of his face as he intently cleaned his lady, the palms of his hands gliding over her hips with ease as he found the indent in the center of her belly.

With a slight chuckle, the man slipped the tip of his index finger tauntingly into her belly button, earning a confused yet amused glare from the woman as he merely laughed.

Finally, his lips found hers once again, breathing life into her as she melted into goo under his intoxicating touch.

There was truly no greater feeling.

His hands cupped the curve of her ass, tugging her tiny body closer to his as their skin touched once more. Oh, how euphorically blissful it was...

Here she was, stark naked with Gotham's most wanted criminal. She had to admit, it was quite riveting, really.

The man pressed against her nude body was feared by nearly every inhabitant of the city and its outskirts. People feared him, hated him, were absolutely disgusted by him, and here she stood: Her lips feverishly attacking his, fingers gripping onto the skin of his shoulders as she attempted to pull him even closer (if that were even remotely possible at this point).

It was absolutely heavenly.

Joker's hands tangled once again in her knotted hair, pulling her face to his as their noses somewhat painfully collided, emitting a groan from the woman as her nose still hadn't quite properly healed.

The water continued to coat the small of Ember's back, an abundance of steam clouding the small interior shower as the duo swallowed each others breathless sighs.

"I'm so happy I found you again." She whimpered against his lips, burying her hands in the sopping curls that clung to his neck.

"I'm so happy I kidnapped you." Joker mused, a sincere, deep chuckle slipping through his swollen lips as the woman covered them once more with hers.

The kiss became very heated rather quick, Ember's fingers tugging at the bare skin of his back as his lips trailed down to her neck, sucking and nipping harshly at the skin.

In no time at all, Ember found herself plastered against the frigid tile of the shower wall, her lanky legs latched around the bend of Joker's back as she clung onto him for dear life.

His lips parted, tongue lapping out to meet hers as his fingers found their way to the spot she needed him–the spot where she craved him the absolute most.

Breathless sighs–open-mouthed kisses–a plethora of pleasure coursed through their every vein as they molded into one once again.

|•|•|•|

Ember stirred a fair amount of cream into her black coffee, the color transforming several shades lighter as she sang an unrecognizable tune under her breath.

Joker's oversized flannel clung to her skin, buttons left open as her matching lime green lace bra and panty set sat on full display.

A hand met her hip, gently tugging her backwards from the counter as she let out an audible sigh.

Her neck rolled back, meeting the firm, welcoming chest of her darling sweetheart as she cradled the steaming mug of coffee in her hands.

"Come back home with me." Joker huskily whispered in her ear, drawing circles along the bare flesh of her side as his hot breath ignited a patch of goosebumps along her jaw.

"Yes sir." She purred, craning her neck to meet his face as she planted a kiss onto his mouth.

"I'll always be yours." Ember lowly added.

"And I yours."

Ember twisted on her heel, the mug resting on the counter as she laced her arms around Joker's bare shoulders.

She could really get used to this bare face of his everyday.

"I have something to tell you." She whispered, pressing a closed-mouth kiss to the corner of his lips, crazing the destroyed flesh of his cheek slightly.

"Oh?" Joker raised a brow.
"And what's that?"

Ember let out a deep sigh, taking her botton lip between her teeth as she struggled to spit the words out. Her statement would surely change everything, forever.

There was no going back.

"Bruce Wayne is the Batman."

|•|•|•|

A/N: Okayyyyyy.. LOTS of stuff happened in this chapter!!! (And I'm still crying)!!! There are quite a few quotes in here that I'm literally obsessed with, and I hope you guys will be too!

I've been planning this chapter for a very long time, and I wanted to share my little chicken scratch work notes I made for it with you guys because I know ya'll got a kick out of it last time! I always seem to have the brightest ideas at work lol.

Thank you all so much for the 8,000+ reads. I am so unbelivably lucky to have such loyal readers. Thank you times a million.

Until next time. xo, allie