"Because some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn."
(Y/N) (L/N) watched his parents die when he was just a boy. Now, years later, he becomes...
The Joker sat in a holding cage, an odd calm over the man. He didn't flinch as a few cops smashed their sticks against the bars - he was completely unaware.
"Stand away!" Gordon ordered. "All of you! I don't want anything for his mob lawyer to use, understand? Handle this guy like he's made of glass."
The mayor suddenly walked in, and greeted Gordon. "Back from the dead."
"I couldn't chance my family's safety," Gordon said.
The Mayor looked over at the Joker. "What do we got?"
"Nothing," Gordon confirmed. "No matches on prints, dna, dental. Clothing is custom, no labels. Nothing in his pockets but knives and lint. No name, no other alias... nothing."
"Go home, Gordon, the clown'll keep till morning. Get some rest, you're going to need it. Tomorrow, you take the big job. You don't have any say in the matter, Commissioner Gordon."
A round of applause came from the cops in the unit, and - in mockery - the Joker.
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—-
The next night, Gordon returned to MCU to find the Joker already prepared for interrogation. He entered the dimly lit room, only a lamp there to illuminate the paint on the Joker's face.
"Evening, Commissioner," the Joker said, drawing out the ends of both words.
"Harvey Dent never made it home," Gordon said, cutting right to the chase.
"Of course not."
"What have you done with him?"
"Me?" The Joker feigned surprise. "I was right here." He held up his cuffed arms to prove it. "Who did you leave him with? Hm? Your people? Assuming, of course, that they are in fact your people and not Maroni's..." he smiled. "Does it depress you, Lieutenant, to know how alone you are? Does it make you feel responsible for Harvey Dent's current predicament?"
"Where is he?"
"What time is it?"
"What difference does the time make?"
"Depending on the time, he might be in one spot-" he smiled -"or several."
Gordon stood and undid the Joker's handcuffs. "If we're going to play games, I'm going to need a cup of coffee."
"The good cop, bad cop routine?" The Joker asked, a hint of venom in his voice.
"Not exactly."
As he left, Gordon flicked the light switch in the room, turning on the blinding lights. The Joker blinked, then felt a hand on the back of his head.
WHAM!
Batman was standing behind him, and moved to the other side of the desk.
"Never start with the head..." the Joker advised. "The victim gets all fuzzy, he can't feel the next-"
(Y/N) slammed a fist onto the Joker's open hand.
The Joker remained calm. "See?"
"You wanted me," (Y/N) said. "Here I am."
"I wanted to see what you'd do. And you didn't disappoint. You let five people die. Then, you let Dent take your place. Even to a guy like me, that's cold."
"Where's Dent?"
The Joker ignored his question. "Those Mob fools want you gone so they can get back to the way things were. But I know the truth - there's no going back. You've changed things. You and your little friends. Forever."
"Then why do you want to kill me?"
The Joker cackled. After a moment, he was laughing so hard it almost sounded like sobbing. "Kill you? I don't - I don't wanna kill you! What would I do without you? Go back to rippin' off Mob dealers? No you... you. Complete. Me."
"You're garbage who kills for money."
"Don't talk like one of them - you're not, even if you'd like to be. To them, you're just a freak. Like me. They just need you right now." He looked at (Y/N) with something resembling pity. "But as soon as they don't, they'll cast you out. Like a leper." The Joker looked into his eyes, thinking. Searching. "Their morals, their code... it's a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. You'll see - I'll show you... when the chips are down, these, uh, civilized people? They'll eat each other." The Joker grinned. "See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve."
(Y/N) suddenly grabbed the Joker and picked him up. "Where's Dent?"
"You have these rules... and you think they'll save you.
"I have one rule."
"Then that's the one you'll have to break. To know the truth."
"Which is?"
The Joker smiled. "The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules. Tonight, you're going to break your one rule..."
(Y/N) slammed the Joker against the wall. "I'm considering it."
"There are just minutes left," the Joker said. "So, you'll have to play my little game if you want to save one of them."
"Them?"
"For a while, I thought you really were Dent... the way you threw yourself after her."
A deep, boiling rage came up from deep inside of (Y/N). He dropped the Joker and ripped up one of the bolted down chairs, jamming it under the doorknob. He then turned back to the Joker and threw him into the two-way glass, causing it to crack a little.
"Look at you go!" the Joker edged him one "Does Harvey know about you and his little bunny-"
(Y/N) slammed the Joker into the wall again, and stood over him, a man possessed. "WHERE ARE THEY??"
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The Joker ignored him. "Killing is making a choice..."
(Y/N) smacked him again. "WHERE ARE THEY??"
"You choose one life over the other. Your friend, the district attorney. Or his blushing bride-to-be."
(Y/N) punched the Joker again, who merely laughed, loving the pain. "You have nothing. Nothing to threaten me with, nothing to do with all your strength. You'll have to choose."
(Y/N) stared, suddenly starting to cool his rage.
"He's at 250 52nd boulevard. And she's at Avenue X at Cicero."
(Y/N) dropped the Joker and tore open the door, rushing past Gordon.
"Which one are you-" Gordon started.
"Rachel!"
(Y/N) ran past the other officers and made his way to the Batpod. He wouldn't let her die. Not now, not ever.
