"Mel, I know I've only known you for maybe two months now, but this is seriously the stupidest idea you have ever had." Sterling argued as Dick nodded in agreement.

"I'm with Sterling in this one. Undercover work isn't something you just do." Dick stated as Melanie nodded.

"I know, that's why one of you are going with me." Dick and Sterling's eyes widened and they both looked to each other, then back to Melanie.

"What?" They asked in unison, and Melanie pulled up a layout of Arkham Asylum on her computer, followed by the shifts of every guard. "How the bell did you get all of that?" Dick asked as Sterling walked around to the desk.

"I have free time. Look, I've done something like this before." Dick and Sterling have Melanie a questionable look, glancing to one another.

"You have?" Sterling wondered. Melanie looked up at him before shrugging.

"I haven't gone undercover as a psycho trying to get information from another psycho before, but I've gone undercover enough times to know what I'm doing."

You've done this once, Melanie. She thought to herself. Melanie pressed her lips together, typing away at her computer. "Everyone in Arkham will know my real reason for being there except for the prisoners, alright? No one in there other than guards and staff can know I'm a detective."

"This is crazy." Dick mumbled, and Melanie turned to him. He gestured to the computer. "You're talking about living in Arkham for maybe a week, possibly more, Melanie. Because there's no way the Joker will spill his guts about his allies in a day."

"That's why I make a plan before I execute it. By the time I'm ready for crazy-town, I'll have everything I need to get the information I want out of The Joker." Sterling paced back and forth, scratching at his growing beard as he thought.

"What the hell are we supposed to do then? Because I can't live in that place for a week. Katy is coming home tomorrow." Melanie sighed at Sterling and stood up, turning to Dick.

"Then I guess it's you and me, Gray." Dick crossed his arms, raising his brows at Melanie as he prepared himself for what's to come. "You and I will be going undercover as a prisoner and a guard of Arkham Asylum."

"You're insane." Dick scoffed and Melanie leaned against her desk, rolling her eyes.

"You are fully capable of handling anything if my plan goes wrong. Which it won't."

"And you're so sure about that why?" Sterling wondered. Melanie turned to him slowly, humming.

"I know how to get inside the head of a crazy person. Even someone as bad as the Joker." Once again, Sterling and Dick shared a look, both of their arms dropping. "I just need to get permission from Gordon."

"Which he will never give you. He wouldn't let you risk your entire bloodline for some information about a copy cat killer, Mel!" Melanie shot Sterling a look that clearly had another meaning behind it, and he sighed, rubbing his eyes. Sterling looked to Dick, gesturing to Melanie. "She's probably just as crazy as he is."

"I am standing right here."

"Which means you can hear me when I say you're crazy." Sterling spat, planting his hands on his hips as Melanie nodded, pushing herself off the desk. "Where the hell are you going?"

"To talk to Gordon. I'm not letting two men I barely know tell me what I can and can't do to get information." Melanie walked out of her lab and headed straight towards Gordon's office, knocking on it before stepping in.

Gordon looked up from his computer to Melanie, gesturing to the chair in front of her desk. "What can I help you with, Nyx?"

Melanie stood in the doorway for a long moment as she started to realize that maybe she was crazy for trying to go through with this plan. Or maybe it was the power Gordon held over her that made her feel that way. She was incredibly terrified of men with higher authority than her.

"I have a very stupid, probably life-threatening proposition that could help me catch a copy cat killer." Gordon sat up straighter at the mention of a copy-cat, taking off his glasses.

"A copy cat killer?" He repeated and Melanie nodded, sitting down slowly.

"I know you have lots of experience in catching copy-cats. That's what you're good at, catching bad guys." Melanie then frowned, looking down and mumbling to herself. "Obviously, you're the captain, you're the best around the precinct."

Gordon hummed, nodding slowly before he clicked his tongue. "What is this... life threatening proposition?"

"Someone framed Victor Steel for the previous butcher shop murders. They used Suxamethonium chloride to subdue Victor and take his blood. It's the same toxin Jackson Pilar used to immobilize David Juneau before killing him."

"Where are you going with this, Miss Nyx?" Gordon clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on the desk, leaning forward.

"Victor Steel used to work for The Joker. I think one of his goons is framing Victor and stealing money from businesses to use as an aid to get the Joker out of Arkham Asylum." Gordon stared at Melanie for a long time, unsure of what he was supposed to say next.

"My proposition is I go undercover as an Arkham patient to get information out of the Joker." Gordon opened his mouth to speak, Melanie cutting him off quickly. "With Dick Grayson's help."

"You want Grayson to help you?" Gordon raised a brow and Melanie nodded.

"He would be going undercover as well as a guard to keep me safe in what I hope is the unlikely case a fight breaks out." Gordon sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. "I know it's not the smartest idea I could have given you. But the Joker is the only lead Grayson and I have in catching whoever framed Victor Steel."

Gordon crossed his arms judgmentally, tilting his head as he stared at Melanie. "If I don't do this, Captain, someone else could die. Or be arrested from a crime they didn't commit."

"How long do you think you will be in there?" Gordon asked quietly. A twinge of hope shuddered through Melanie's body as she hid a smile.

"Two weeks. Maybe three. Long enough to try and get a few names out of the Joker." Gordon nodded slowly, thinking silently for a long time.

"And you're sure this will work?" Melanie stared at Gordon for the longest time. She truly believed he was going to say no. She was quietly hoping he would. What the hell made him say yes?

Melanie stayed silent, nodding. Gordon pulled out a piece of paper and slowly started writing. "I think this is incredibly dangerous, what you're about to do."

Melanie's eyes lit up with victory and fear as Gordon's pen scribbled along the paper. "Dick will be returning every night with new information, no matter what it is. I want updates on your status every day. You will be heavily watched, but I'll make sure it's subtle." Melanie nodded quickly in understanding.

"And Grayson will not be a shift guard. I'm making sure he is assigned to watch over you." Melanie's smile dropped, shaking her head.

"That wont work with the plan, Captain. I need to be in a close proximity of the Joker, I can't have the same guard near me all the time it will draw attention." Gordon looked up from the paper, staring at Melanie.

"If you think for a second that I am going to let you waltz into Arkham Asylum posing as a patient to talk with the craziest man in Gotham and not have my best detective watch over you... The. your stay at Arkham will be permanent, Miss Nyx."

Melanie stared at Gordon for a long time before pressing her lips together and nodded. "I understand, Captain."

•••

"I don't think I've said it enough times, Melanie. You're crazy. Maybe you should be in Arkham." Sterling said as he sat on Melanie's couch. This was the first time he was in her apartment.

Sterling looked everywhere, his eyes usually focusing back down the hallway, where Melanie had locked herself in the bathroom. "What the bell are you even doing in there?"

A few more minutes passed of Melanie not answering. At one point, Sterling assumed she had killed herself and he was just too afraid to open the bathroom door to find her sprawled out in the bathtub. Then he thought that she was doing drugs, or reevaluating her life choices that led her to that moment.

Sterling slowly stood up, walking down the hallway as Melanie swung the bathroom door open. His eyes widened at her appearance, mouth parting in shock.

Her red hair was gone, replaced with her natural blonde waves that Melanie had spent the last four hours desperately trying to wash away. The tips of her hair were still a light pink, with her roots being the most blonde compared to the rest of her hair.

She was no longer wearing any makeup, revealing dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. Or maybe it was makeup, Sterling wasn't sure. Her nails were now broken and the paint was chipped everywhere and her shirt was stained red from the hairdye washing away.

"You... Look..."

"Like a crazy person? I hope so. You have no idea how hard it is to get rid of red hair when you don't have bleach." Melanie turned to her mirror, scrubbing her head with a towel. "I need you to do something for me, Sterling."

"Uhm... Okay? I guess I can watch your apartment..." Melanie turned to him and shook her head.

"No. I need you to punch me in the face." Sterling stared at Melanie as if she had just destroyed his art, mouth dropped to the floor.

"Yeah, maybe Arkham is fit for you." Sterling started walking away and Melanie rushed over, taking his hand.

"I'm going to Arkham after trying to blow up GCPD. I need to look like I went down with a fight, Sterling." The cop stared at Melanie's hand, which was still gripping his as he debated his next move.

"Can't I just... Give you a few bruises on the body instead of the face? You know this is technically illegal."

"I'm literally giving you permission to beat the shit out of me, Boone. Do it." Melanie let go of his hand and prepared her body for impact, shutting her eyes. "Don't go ea—"

Sterling's fist collided with Melanie's eye and she let out a low groan of pain, covering her eye for a moment. "Holy shit, are you okay?" Sterling asked as he gripped her shoulders, trying to check the damage.

After a moment, Melanie paused, realizing that the pain was now gone completely. "Yeah... I'm fine?" She frowned, rubbing her eye. "It doesn't hurt at all."

"Do I need to punch you again?" Sterling prepared his fist and Melanie backed away, shaking her head.

"Nope! No. I think... I think something's wrong." Sterling raised his brows and nodded.

"Yeah, you just got punched in the eye hall and you're taking it like a champ." Sterling dropped his fist, a look of pure confusion on his face. "I was expecting tears, to be honest."

"I literally don't feel anything." Melanie pressed her finger around her eye, turning to the mirror to stare in confusion. "Is this what Barry feels like?" She mumbled, Sterling frowning in confusion.

"What?"

"Nothing. Uhm. Change of plans. I didn't try and fight my way to freedom." Melanie turned back to Sterling, who raised his brows with uncertainty.

"Right. You just let the cops take you. Because everyone wants to go to Arkham." Sterling mused, waving his hands in the air. "How the fuck are you even going to get to the Joker?"

Melanie shrugged, smiling. "I have a plan. Just trust me, Sterling."

"Trust you? I don't even know the name of your favorite show and you want me to trust you?"

"Supernatural. Now let's go, my ride will be ready at GCPD any minute."