'I made some pancakes and bacon, sweetie.'

"It's 9 pm. Isn't it too late for breakfast?" his question was naive considering her stance on morning food.

'It's never too early or too late for pancakes and bacon. That's our motto. Isn't it, honey?'  the haunting giggles that followed made Mr. J burst in eternal anguish.

Bitter laughter erupted from his crimson stained lips, his face buried on his hands. As if it couldn't get any worst.

Hallucinations.

He refused to look up and see the ghostly figure of the pregnant lady standing before him, again. But no matter how hard he closed his eyes, or how violently his fists landed on his temples, there she was, haunting him. Pure torture as his little girl, his Harley, was now being touched by the foreign fingers of a doctor he didn't trust. If he hurt her, if he damaged her...

'Jack... why so serious?'

"Go away!" He screamed as he reached for the now cold cup of tea and threw it at the woman but all he could hit was cold, humid air.

It had been countless hours since the surgery started and this cave was getting on his last nerve, wherever he turned his eyes there were things that he was craving to destroy, but fought the urge to demolish Batsy's house. The Joker felt like a little boy standing in the middle of a toy store, desperate to play or to touch anything.

'This place needs some feminine touches, don't you think, honey?' she said as her hands touched the dirty walls of the cave.

A growl came out from his throat as he reluctantly turned to his side, where the woman now sat, watching him closely with loving eyes. Those green eyes pierced him like needles and Joker's heart ached with a sharp pain he had managed to bury deep inside so it wouldn't emerge ever again.

'It reminds me of our first flat, Jack. Leaks everywhere!'  the smile on her lips was like sunshine, so innocent. So beautiful, just like his Harley.

"My name is not Jack. Not anymore. Stop calling me that." his voice screamed in frustration, not willing this to be true.

'Yes you are. My sweet, funny Jack. My love.'

And yet, he didn't know her name or who she was, or maybe he didn't want to know. Ignorance is bliss and the Joker knew the moment he remembered anything he would crack and the wall that was built carefully to keep everyone out would collapse. But the clown couldn't stop her face from swirling inside his head as a distant memory, not being able to decipher it. Damn the electrotherapy.

No. Damn fate. This wasn't electrotherapy's fault. This piece of the puzzle was long gone and lost in the past, where it belonged.

'Tell me a joke, Jack. Your son enjoys it when you make me laugh. It will cheer you up too!' her hand rested on the large bump under the dress, smiling at the unborn child's home.

"Jeannie..." his voice but a whisper as everything suddenly clicked, brain filling with memories.

The Batcave disappeared and before him was an old flat, everything seemed to be falling apart. It was small and there were a few pieces of rotten furniture scattered around the place. But his attention was focused on a young couple that seemed to be enjoying eachothers company, oblivious of their pitiful surroundings.

The man was handsome, dark strands of hair falling over his forehead as he laughed loudly at his jokes, his eyes shining with love as he looked down at the beautiful pregnant woman. The immense love they shared was obvious, given the circumstances, anyone else would have ran away from that pathetic place. They looked tired, pale and the lack of food was visible on their cheekbones.

"So, I'm taking the job I was telling you about. It's a unique opportunity, Jeannie. My chance to get you out of this place." he said, beaming with pride as he cupped her delicate face with his hands. Her once cheerful self disappeared slowly and was replaced by a grim face as she shoved his hands off her face.

"No, Jack. It's dangerous, you could get arrested or killed. Forget it. I don't need luxury, I don't need a huge house. I just need you and if you die there's nothing left for me. Please don't do it."

The urgency in her voice was unbearable to listen and the tears didn't stop running down her pale face. The man kneeled before her and placed his hands on the woman's belly, his voice now trying to sound stern and decided, but somehow he wasn't in control. She was.

"That's not enough. I'm not letting him or you live in this filthy place any longer. You deserve better and I don't care if I have to go straight to hell to get you out of here before my baby is born."

Jeannie's anger landed on Jack's cheek with a backhand, but he never flinched and no sound came out from his lips. He just stood up, headed towards the door and without looking back he spoke, "I love you, Jeannie."

Then, The Joker found himself surrounded by ashes. Nothing but the faint sound of crying by the distance could be heard and he decided to follow the source, walking around in circles. He froze as the ashes finally dispersed, revealing the couple lying on the floor, her body covered with blood and beautiful face partially disfigured. The man sobbed, his arms wrapped around his now dead wife. The damage had been done.

"Joker..." the man said between sobs. The clown stumbled back when the man looked up furiously, his own reflection staring back at him, hatred exploding from his blue orbs.

"Joker!"

He remembered now.

"Joker."

Batman's deep voice snapped him out from the dream. He was now back at the damn cave.

"It's done. She's waking up from anesthesia. The damage on her spine was severe, but -" he didn't even have time to finish as Mr. J was too anxious.

"Can I see her?" he interrupted standing up from his spot. Batman simply nodded and left without saying another word.

J sighed when Jeannie's reflection appeared once more. She was smiling but her pale green eyes held sadness and longing.

'Do you love her as much as you loved me?' the woman's head tilted in curiousness, eyes blazing. J's heart skipped a beat at the question, there was no right answer to it, at least not one he could put down to words.

"I loved you. Everything I am now is because of you." he whispered. "But from now on, everything I will be is because of her."