Good Luck With Your Future Chapter 14 Part 1

[dreykar]

Title: Good Luck With Your Future
Author: Dreykar
Fandom: DC-verse/Nolanverse
Pairing: Batman/Joker
Genre(s): General
Rating: R
Summary: Approached by their older selves visiting from 25yrs in the future, Batman and The Joker agree to work together to prevent a situation allowing the mob to take over Gotham permanently. With so much going on, what happens when the men work together?
Disclaimer: I only own the plot.  Everything own by DC comics and Nolan/Warner Brothers.

A/N: Thank you all for being so patient, sometimes real life gets in the way and things like this have to go on temporary hold as much as you don't want them to :(
The good news is that the next two chapters following this one are mostly written!

Thank you for all the lovely reviews, it makes me keep writing when it gets difficult.

This chapter picks up where the last left off so you may need a quick refresher. The Joker and Bruce, dressed as 'Brian' so people don't know who he is, found Jonathan Crane in Elizabeth Winter's apartment. Elizabeth, a doctor at Arkham, for some reason has Crane sedate her before he leaves. On the way out of the housing block Crane confronts The Joker, angry about being found with the woman and being forced to leave (poor Jonathan, it's a power thing). The chapter ends with The Joker walking out of the doors of the apartment block mid sentence with Crane commenting, seemingly to the open area "I take it we're meant to follow him?"...

Enjoy!

After a moment in which the two men were silent, Bruce and Crane went to move out of the door at the same time.

The currently disguised vigilante held back and let the man go first. By the look on his face Bruce was sure that if he’d pushed ahead Crane would have made it his business to attack him. He clearly wasn’t happy at being found, pushed around and told to come along to ‘talk’.

Stepping out into the street they saw that The Joker had a good head start and wasn’t about to slow down for them both. His hood was up again, no one was around but you couldn’t be too careful in this sort of situation.

“Do you know where we’re going?” Bruce asked Crane, forgetting for a moment who was walking with him. He assumed they must have decided on a location when the two villains were in the room together at Elizabeth’s apartment only moments ago.

Crane ignored him so he asked again. The man turned his head towards Bruce as though distracted. “I’m sorry?” he asked, the space between his eyebrows creasing.

Bruce rolled his eyes, Crane paying no attention to him was going to get old very quickly. “Where are we going?”.

The doctor looked up to his face and took him in properly for the first time. Bruce could see the cogs turning in his head and wondered, with a flutter of his heart, if his disguise was enough.

Crane’s eyes always seemed to look through you, reading your deepest and darkest secrets. You couldn’t act like that, you had to be made, spring into the world with that talent. Either that or experience a traumatic event or existence.

“Where are we going?" the smaller man repeated with his forehead creased. "I thought you might know actually. I’m rather late to this party it seems”

‘O boy, this is going to be fun’ Bruce thought. He was about to call out to The Joker who was ahead when Crane spoke.

“It’s funny actually” he began conversationally, waving an arm outwards in fake openness “I’ve been warned”. He indicated to the man in front of them “Apparently I’m not to ‘damage’ you, that you’re going to be a part of this ‘thing’ he wants me for”. At this he looked Bruce straight in the eye intently and the billionaire could see why this man was feared even before his experiments became common knowledge. “It doesn’t make any sense”.

Bruce thought the man was going to continue but he didn’t. “I’m sorry?”

Crane’s eyes flashed in frustration and he made sure that they were alone with a quick look around the area they were in before continuing. “He doesn’t just protect people. He doesn’t talk to them casually like he did to you before”. He then tried to read Bruce again, his lips moved slightly before he spoke. “I’m warning you now though, don’t think you’re safe because he wishes it. Accidents happen" he paused to smirk. "Although, this” again he waved a hand to some up the entire inclusion of 'Brian' “this is very interesting”

Bruce smirked, although it was more a baring of teeth. He felt different in this disguise, as though he could be a little freer with his expressions. “I’m a case for you to study am I, Doctor?”

The arrogant man let a smile play on his lips, it was his most unnerving expression. “I don’t like you, Brody” he whispered in a warning tone.

“It’s Brian” Bruce replied naturally, not backing down in the slightest.

“Your name is of no concern to me” the suited one stated harshly, eyes strong with purpose.

“I thought you were going to be nice to me” Bruce reminded, hinting at what Crane had just told him.

“Oh, I never agreed to that” he smiled, again it was an unsettling sight.

They continued to glare at each other for a minute longer, neither giving any indication of giving up first. This seemed to both surprise and frustrate the doctor. Crane was walking just ahead of Bruce. Only seemingly knowing each other for only twenty minutes at the most, these two men seemed destined to hate one another.

“Are you two going to hurry up?” the jester called out from ahead. He’d turned around to wait for them to catch up, moving on the spot. If Bruce was less distracted he would of noted again how the man could never keep still. The one up ahead was playing with his sleeve, then tapping his foot, only to dive his hands into the joined pocket of his hoodie and rock his hips back and forth with his feet. Bruce and Crane walked ahead, almost side by side, both trying to get there before the other.

“Best friends already, are we?” the hooded man asked once they had caught up, taking his hands out of his pockets and rubbing his chin as he laughed a little.

“Something like that” Bruce replied, walking past him. Not tackling and punching Crane was talking all the resolve he had and it was costing him greatly.

“Where are we going?” The former doctor snapped, he looked a little different with his tie undone. Being dressed formally seemed to suit him. It gave him an edge that his small frame denied him. “Now that my day has changed I have things to be doing that don’t involve you”.

“Well Scary, if they involve little love bunnies then I think you’ll be waiting a little while before she wakes up”. He then glanced at Crane with fake comprehension dawning across his face. “Unless…unless you like them unconscious or something? I would have thought-”

“-this is exactly the reason why you shouldn’t know anything about my personal life" he exclaimed. "It’s really none of your business”. Bruce was surprised to hear that his voice sounded less like authoritative than usual, and more like talking to a badly behaved classmate at school. He also noted the man mentioned his ‘personal life’ in relation to Elizabeth, things were beginning to fall into place slowly. However, the vigilante needed to know more about how well these two men had gotten on in the past. Part of him seemed as though he didn’t want to know the answer.

“Keep your knickers on, Scary” the scarred man instructed in an almost friendly way. “We’re here”

They had arrived at a disserted alley, the only doorway consisted of a basement hatch that was directly next to them. The two other men looked around, as though expecting to see another doorway or an obvious place that they should go towards.

The currently brown and green wearing Joker reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out his wallet chain. Attached was his endless supply of keys. “Now it’s on here somewhere…” he murmured, going through a process of grabbing a key, looking at and it then shaking his head and moving on to the next. It was much as he had done at his own apartment the first night the others had come back from the future.

Bruce looked around to make sure no one was watching, he didn’t have too much memory of being around this part of town.

Crane spent the time clicking his tongue in annoyance then doing up his tie. He’d placed his bag on the ground between his feet and was keeping it there securely.

Eventually they made their way in. It was a basement with two chairs, a coffee table and a dirty old mattress. Bruce and Crane sat in the chairs after inspecting the place to make sure it wasn’t a trap. The Joker sat up on the edge of the makeshift bed.

There were a few items on the table, two multicoloured drinking glasses, paper pens and a map of Gotham. None had any writing on there. Anything that had been used had obviously been removed when the previous tenant vacated.

The harlequin was about to start with some fake niceties when Crane spoke up. He seemed to be getting more frustrated the longer he was in the other's presence.

“Well, what do you want to know? You may as well ask me now” he stated, looking around the shabby surroundings. Bruce felt the man was probably feeling as though he’d given up his power coming along then being locked in such a place.

“I planned to anyway, Johnny”. Crane grimaced at him. “Tony Warren. What do ya know?”

Jonathan’s eyes burned with anger, it made the blue chilling. “What are we here for?” he spoke, carefully controlling his temper.

“This place? Happens to be near your squeeze's abode" he explained what seemed to be truthfully. "Anyway, Tony Warren? Wants to be mayor? Has a lot of support?” he leaned forward, it was obvious the other man was used to have this one around as he wasn’t intimidated in the least. “I don’t want Warren to be the next mayor. I will make it so he isn’t. But-uh, I have an issue" he pointed at Crane then closed and lowered his hand. "I don’t want my name tied to this. I can’t kill the guy. So…I’m going to have to be more creative”.

Crane paused before answering. “You’re asking for my help?”

“Yes” he replied simply, palms displayed.

“Do you recall what happened last time we worked together?” cocking his head to the side, he was being genuinely inquisitive although Bruce could see he was building towards something.

The Joker looked puzzled, his uncovered scars pulling white as he pursed his lips. “Yeah, of course I do. We planned things, hung out, got chased by the Batman-”

“-you left me for dead in the bottom of a ditch”. Jonathan looked over to The Joker, radiating pacified anger. “I was unconscious for almost eight hours and nearly drowned in the mud”

“Johnny, I-”

“-that’s not to mention all of the other things you did to me. You broke my wrist-”

“-I left you alone for a while after that-”

“-yes you did” he sat up a little straighter. “It meant I had no one to strap it for me. It still aches when it rains…” he began to subconsciously rub it.

The Joker gave him a look that was probably meant to be apologetic, as though butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. It only succeeded in showing off his yellowing teeth “Something to remember me by?”

Crane scoffed, it was a little less dignified than Bruce was used to but it fit the doctor well. “I’ve got enough scars besides the wrist to remember our time together by, let me tell you”. He began rubbing his head with one hand, kneading his forehead and hair. He looked distracted.

“Well what do you say? I heard you don’t like the guy”. The Joker waited for an answer as Crane rubbed his head and kept his gaze on the coffee table. “…uh, Crow? Crow?” the green haired man tried. “Crow!” he shouted. Crane flinched a little.

“What?” he questioned, obviously not hearing what the other man had said previously, Bruce found this interesting. It was strange for him to be the one sitting back during an interrogation or negotiations but he realised when he was playing this character he’d have to be like this.

“I said, what do you say? I’ve heard you don’t like Warren" he leaned forward with determination "Help me destroy the man”.

Crane went back to staring at the table, unseeing. He looked uncomfortable, shifting his limbs in the seat. Eventually he asked softly “What’s in it for you?”.

The Joker sighed and rubbed his nose “Johnny, if you’re going to like this just let me talk to Crow”

“No, Clown” he snapped, beginning to play with his sleeve again with a single hand “just answer me”.

“I crushed the mob the first time around. They still pretty much do as I say. If Warren gets in the mob will run Gotham and the more power they have the more they will try to ignore me”

“You’ve done your research”

A flame ignited in The Joker's eyes “This city...is mine” he growled with passion, looking up from under his brows.

Crane’s eyes flicked up, flashing. “No it’s not. But it could be ours” he called out a little raspier.

‘Ah’ Bruce thought ‘Scarecrow’.

“Now you’re talkin’, Crow” the other man grinned, leaning back against the wall behind him, delighted it seemed. “I know there’s a way to do this”

“What do I get in return?” he demanded, knowing he would have to bargain. “I’m not going to consider it unless it will benefit me substantially”

“Well…the satisfaction of getting your revenge on Warren-”

“-which I could get any day of the week by myself, without your interference. Next”

“The mob will take over-”

“-I worked with Falcone and took him out. They are terrified of me. Next”

“I’ll give you a kiss”

Scarecrow seemed disappointed. “I’ve had plenty of those and they nothing to write home about”. He smirked up at Bruce, having already guessed at their relationship. He then returned his gaze to the man in front of him. “You don’t have any benefits do you?”. The billionaire noticed that Crane’s body was a lot more relaxed like this. He’d been sceptical when he’d been told of the differences between Crane and Scarecrow but they were definitely there. There was a difference in his eyes, his posture was more relaxed and so was his language use. His voice too was altered, a little raspier, more full of life as though this personality had a lot more fun and didn’t see things as seriously.

The Joker was getting annoyed now. “How does this sound, Scary, you help me out and I won’t break your legs?”

“Your threats mean nothing to me anymore” he rasped. “You either don’t follow through or you will follow through no matter what. I thought you would have had at least one reason aside from blackmail to negotiate with. I’m disappointed”

Before the jester could respond, Scarecrow leaned forward in his chairs, securing his hands at the ends of the arm rests and stated “And threatening harm to the girl comes under blackmail. Jonathan will be furious if you go near her”

“And what do you think of her?”

“This is getting you nowhere, Clown. I thought you knew how to negotiate to get what you wanted” he pushed a leg out and slipped into his seat a little further. “You either want my help or you don’t. It’s that simple”.

The Joker leant forward, leering. Bruce could feel the atmosphere change a little. The scarred man cracked his hands, they looked so bare without gloves on.

“Ok, Crow. I was going to leave this out of it but you give me, uh, you give me no choice”. He cleared his throat unnecessarily. “Scary, I know chemicals. And you’re planning something. You’re planning somethingbig…you’re planning something new in fact”

Scarecrow looked slightly put out but regained his smug composure quickly. “I’m always trying new things, Clown, nice try”

The Joker let out a small chuckle and shook his head while looking at the ground. “No, Crow. A little birdy, yeah birdy, told me what you were delivered last week. There wasn’t much. But I think I know what you’re doing”.

Bruce frowned at The Joker questioningly. He knew he couldn’t use their relationship to get the information he required, that would be wrong. But that sentence made him think back to the same issue that kept cropping up. How could he be with someone who was involved with all these awful things? Bruce pushed it to the back of his mind so he could concentrate on the situation at hand, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he would have to deal with it again.

“Your point, Clown? Are you going to dob me into the big bad Bat?” he sneered.

“No” the man answered. “Help me…and I’ll help you”

Bruce couldn’t help it. “Joker…”

“Quiet Briiiiian, the psychos are talking”

“Joker” he repeated with a little more force. He knew the other man had to treat him as a lesser person around Crane, and really any time he was going undercover to reduce suspicion, but it really wasn’t helping. The two villains on the other hand hadn’t broken their intense eye contact.

“You’ve got a deal, Clown. For now anyway. We need to set up some ground rules though. One of them is to stay away from Johnny’s girl”.

“So he’s not just getting information about our favourite place from her?”

Scarecrow looked conflicted. Then Bruce noticed it, a slight change in the eyes and the man sat up a little more rigidly. He also lost most of the amusement his face had shown with Scarecrow at times.

“I’m leaving, Clown”. Jonathan Crane stood up, he was back to the person that really didn’t want to be there, the one who resented having this meeting in the first place.

“You didn’t answer my question, Johnny boy. What’s the deal with the girl?”

“As I said before, it’s none of your business”. He walked mostly sideways to the door, making sure to keep both other men in his line of sight. “I take it I’ll be seeing you soon enough? My doppelganger too, I assume?”. He let himself out the door, his bag in tow.

“What did he mean by that?” Bruce asked after a moment.

“Uh, no idea, Brucey” the man replied, rubbing at the back of his neck. “It’s Johnny, you know, mad as a hatter”.

Bruce got the feeling he was hiding something from him.

“…Mayor Garcia”. The addressed man glanced up from his office desk, he looked as he had the last few days, emotionally drained. His skin was paler than usual and his eyes small and bloodshot.

He was handed a letter by one of his two men who had entered his office. He looked at, swallowing before tearing it open. He shakily unfolded the letter and read it. After staring at the results for around twenty seconds he placed the remnants in his lap. He looked out his window to the right without saying anything to his two men in front of him.

“Mr. Garcia?”

The addressed man looked annoyed at the interruption for a second then composed himself. “It’s…it’s mine”. He slammed his clenched fist into his expensive desk and rounded on the men. “I thought it was your job to hush these sort of things? I’m a public servant for Christ’s sake!”

“With respect, Sir, there is only so much we can do. We kept it silent about this woman and the others that you were seeing, there is only so much we can cover”. He looked to fight with himself then added. “You’re not exactly the president…with respect of course”.

The other advisor looked up at his colleague with a look that screamed ‘Idiot’. “We have a few options” he covered, before the mayor could blow up. “It would be best if you make the announcement as soon as possible. It doesn’t have to be detailed”. Garcia nodded, fist still clenched. “Also, Sir, I’d call your wife…”.

Garcia looked furious. “You know what’s she’s going to say?” he grabbed the letter, scrunched it up and threw it as far as he could away from himself. “I told her I didn’t have time to be a father! That this office, that this city, was my child!”

“I’m just saying that it it’s better coming from you, before the press find out. You know you have options available to you, there are great-”

“I’m not getting counselling”. He pulled the phone closer to him and dialled his home number. “And neither is she…”. They could hear the dial tone. “You two are dismissed” he added bitterly.

As they turned to leave they could hear a feminine voice down the line. “Hello?”

“Honey, it’s me. The results came through…”

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